


My favorite food

by AnimeRuinedMiLife



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 10 Years, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Edited, F/M, Falling In Love, Halloween, Humor, Idiots in Love, JeanMarco since chapter 5, M/M, Mountains, Original Character(s), Romance, Valentine's Day, mention of hanji, mention of levi, mention of mikasa - Freeform, posibilty of future jean marco, springles - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-01-15 15:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 42,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1310299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeRuinedMiLife/pseuds/AnimeRuinedMiLife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasha is a sixteen year old girl who lives for food. However, she'll soon get another thing to her life: a boy, the sweetest asshole she've never met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chips and Beer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a party, chips and a sandwich.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I check my spelling errors, and WOW.  
> Edit 2: WOW  
> Edit 3: "I check" CHECk, goddammit.

When I saw him for the first time, all I could think about was that he was a bald midget, who reminded me of a certain character of a TV show.

This is the story of how I fell in love with the most stupid, ridiculous and adorable guy I've never met before.

I should introduce myself. I’m Sasha Braus, a sixteen year old girl with a food problem, don’t misunderstand me, it’s just that my way to look food is not what you say "normal". People who know me and have seen me eat, says that I cause a combination of fear and amaze. But it because I love food and when I say love, is live for it.

I met this guy at the party of a mutual friend, Jean Kirschtein. Let me talk about Jean: he is attractive, in every sense of the word, but lets face it, he’s a dick, although, when he lets you know him, he is almost nice and funny, on his own way of course. He had this weird obsession with this chick, Mikasa, an asian teenager who never left her brother and little friend’s side.

When I arrived to Kirschtein’s house, I was greeted by Marco, aka. The Freckled Jesus. He was nice with everyone without a pinch of egoism and with a genuine smile that could melt any heart. By the time I met him I thought he was Jean’s boyfriend, Jean if you ever read this, I'm sorry, but what would think two guys who spend all their time together and sometimes acted as a couple? My idea faded when he introduce us his girlfriend Mina, a girl who was as lovely and nice like him.

There I was, sitting alone in the backyard or Kirschtein's house, drinking a beer and eating an entire bowl of chips. I felt several eyes on me, looking me with disgust, but I cared nearly as much as I cared about brussels sprouts (which are the only food I hate) because I didn’t knew anyone, so it was pointless to keep the composure .

At one point in the night a hand touched my shoulder. I'm not an easy person to scare, but damn, I almost spit the beer and chips from my mouth. When I turned around, a bald guy smiled at me.

"Can I sit here?" he said.

_Why he's even asking? He can sit wherever he wants._

_Maybe he just wants to be polite._

"Sure" I said, full mouthed.

"Connie" he said as he sat down.

"Sasha" I replied. _He reminds me someone, but who_ —“Aang"

"What? Why did you--- Oh My God! Why every time?" he shouted, gaining several looks from the people around us, he smacked his head against the table, grunting to himself.

"Every time what?” I said, really confused.

"Every time I meet someone” he said facing me “they say I look like that fucking avatar"

I tried, I really did, but the laugh fell out of my mouth before I could even stop it. He looked shocked. ‘Why this girl, who barely knows him, makes fun of him?’ After a couple of seconds, he started laughing too.

Between our laughter, I realized everyone was staring at us.

_Since when Jean has so many friends?_

"Look," I said "we’re the soul of the party"

"You're right!" he gasped, faking surprise "oh, yeah!” he said, remembering something "Why are you here alone?”

"I don’t know anyone," I said, feeling strange for the self pity.

 “Me neither!” he said, exited "Jean forced me to come”

The doubt invaded me.

"He forced me to come too, how do you know Jean?”

“We're classmates, how do you know him?"

_Oh yeah, the way I met Jean was because of my stomach._

_I was on the bus, starving as always. Checking my bag hoping to find something to eat, when my stomach decided to make a sound very similar to an angry dog. Suddenly an angel, offers me a sandwich, when I look up to thank him, there was Jean, with his beanie, looking handsome. I think that's why I find him attractive. If someone gives me food, I will follow him/her till the end of my days._

_Oh, he’s looking at you. Say something. Fast._

"On the bus to the way home”

"Did he talked to you? It must have been the first time he does that”

“No” I said “I talked to him”

“Why?”

_Because he gave me a sandwich, and I thought he was an angel._

"I found him cute" I replied.

_What?! Uugh._

"Really?" he said

_He looks-- sad? Disappointed?_

"But then I met him and I found out he is a dick"

When I said that, his smile returned, my cheeks felt warm.

As we talked, I discovered that we had many things in common. We both loved challenges, no matter how strange or unpleasant they were, we always accepted them. We both liked the same type of music. And, of course, we loved food, he in a much more "normal" way than me of course.

I didn’t realize the time till Jean called us to go home. It was quarter past two am.

"Shit" Connie say "My mom's gonna kill me”

_Mine too. I know what it feels bro._

"Sash, gives me your number"

_How subtle_

“What?" I said, getting out of my thoughts.

"Give me your number so I can keep talking to you” he said leaving his phone in my hand “My mom’s not going to let me out for a while”

_He wants to keep talking with me?_

_What is this warm feeling?_

_Is this…happiness?_

"Here” I said giving his phone back, our fingers touched.

He saved me as "Ponytail"

I saved him as "Aang"

We stayed grounded for two weeks, luckily we both convinced our mothers to keep our phones, ‘for an emergency’. We talked daily since then. Our topics were different each day, as our favorite band and our favorite series and comics.

One day, while eating a small snack after a bath, a song started playing on my cell. It was Connie.

"Hey ponytail" he said

"’Sup Aang"

"Are you busy this weekend?"

My heart stopped.

"No, why?"

"Want to come to my place and eat pizza?"

"What kind of pizza?" I said in a marvelous tone

"Does the flavor matters?" he said, confused.

"Size, Aang! Size!" I shouted

"Oh" he said before a short laugh “Large?”

"Deal"

"Ok I’ll send you the address"

That weekend I had nothing to wear, I usually put the first thing that I found, but now, nothing seemed to look well.

When I finally find something, I was on the subway in my way to Connie’s place.

I had this strange feeling of anxiety on the mouth of my stomach.

_I hope he like my dress._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited: I'll be editing some chapters because WOW, my eyes hurts for all that spelling errors.  
> Edit: 2016, two years later...my eyes are bleeding.


	2. Pizza and Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a pizza, a movie and a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this is the second chapter, Connie's POV, so its 15% more stupid. And let me tell you, he believes in everything they tell to him.
> 
> Edited: Yes, me again, seriously, no one notice my spelling errors? I called Sahsa a man twice, and that's not right.

Sasha comes here today.

I woke up with that thought in my mind.

I had breakfast and I started the search for my best shirt and a pair of pants that match with it. I wanted to impress Sasha.

I invite her because my mom wouldn't let me go out for a long time after arriving at three in the morning almost two weeks ago. It surprise me that she still let me go to school alone.

She let me invite Sasha, because I beg for two hours.

_Yes beg, a man does it too._

I wanted to see her, she was an awesome friend, I knew that after talking to her every day for two weeks. It was amazing how much we had in common, we both liked the same style of music, same movies and we both loved food. But after seeing her ate a full bowl of chips on Jean's party, I assumed that her's "love" level was higher than mine. A good expression would be "live to eat"

Before I could call the pizza's place, I got a message from Jean.

_Oh yeah, Jean._

_The first time I saw him I thought, well I still do, that he was an asshole. I met him when we got matched for a chemistry project, after twenty minutes of complaining because he couldn't work with his best friend Marco (the nicest guy I've met and so it's so difficult to understand their friendship), I could talk with him. It was more sympathetic and funny than anyone might think, but that doesn't overshadowed the fact that he was, or is, an idiot._

**Oi dwarf, wanna hang out today?**

_Oh shit. If I tell him I invite Sasha here, he'll never gonna let me alone._

**Grounded remember?**

_Good answer_

**I'll go to your place then**

_Oh no_

**You can't**

_Bad answer_

**Why not?**

_There's no way out._

**I invite Sash to come over**

It took a while for his response, the longest minutes in my life

**Aww the dwarf fell in love with Snow White. Don't worry I won't interrupt c:**

_Now I have to stand this kind of messages forever_.

**I'll kill you when I see you horse face**

He hated being called like that, as much as I dwarf.

**i'll be waiting right here DWARF :D**

_Douchebag_

I call the pizza's place as fast as I could. Sasha would arrive in any moment. I order a large pepperoni with double cheese.

_Her favorite_

After twenty minutes of waiting, the pizza's guy came and after two minutes, Sasha's too.

_Wow, she looks amazing, cute ... and ... even sexy in that green dress._

_Mmm she smells like spring. Yes, spring flowers, trees and everything I love about spring._

"Hi" I said noticing that I had lost in my thoughts "please come on in"

"Thanks," she said closing her eyes and smelling the hot pizza that was still in my hands, causing me a second degree burn "Mmm...Cheese"

"Yeah, double cheese" I said proud of myself for make her smile "you can have a couple of cokes if you want"

"Ok"

When she entered in my room, my stomach turned. When she sat down beside me, so close that our shoulders touched, my heart raced across the room.

"What do you want to watch?" I said opening my computer as she opened the pizza box, devouring her first slice.

"What about  _Hachi a dog's tale_?"

_What's that? It sounds like a cartoon movie, well is Sasha anyway._

"You've never seen it?" she said spating some pizza on my shirt, but it didn't bother me

"No, what is?"

"It's a comedy" she said

 _A_ comedy _? What kind of comedy is called like that? It's up to something_

"Ok" I said suspicious "what its name again?"

"I'll search it!" she said taking the computer off my legs, our hands touched.

I take a piece of pizza as she search without letting me see the screen while she was doing it.

When she finally found it, she put the computer on my legs again, she press the play button and the intro's music started.

This is embarrasing.

It wasn't a fucking comedy. It was about a damn and adorable dog, and his stupid and dead owner.

_Don't cry, for the love of God, not whit Sasha here, when she leave you can cry like a man, locked in the bathroom taking a shower._

Before the end of the film, she took my hand.

_She is crying. I never imagined her like this before._

_She's so cute, but it makes my heart squeeze._

_I'll not let anything or anyone make her cry again._

In the credits, she stopped crying, I remove the computer of my legs and noticed that were two slices of pizza left.

She ate hers faster than I could notice. When she finished, she look at my slice.

"Oh no"

"Pleease Aang!"

"No, I'm still hungry"

_Lie, in fact, eight slices are enough, but I like seeing her pout._

"Pleaaase" she beg

"Okay" I said sighing

"Thank you! I love-"

"BUT" I interrupted her "with one condition"

"Condition?" she said arching an eyebrow

"You have to eat it with..." suddenly came to my mind "Chocolate"

"Chocolate? Are you fucking kidding me?! "

"Did I hear Sasha Braus, not accepting a challenge?"

She frowned

"Bring. The. Chocolate, Springer"

I didn't even realize that we're still holding hands until I let her to go get the chocolate.

When I return, I notice that she had already given a bite to the pizza's slice.

"Well Miss Braus, are you ready?" I said wrapping the chocolate bar with the pizza.

"Wait"

"What?"

"What do I get?"

_She's smart_

"What do you want?"

"Mmm...Your favorite shirt"

_What?_

"But I'm wearing it!"

She hesitated for a moment

"What, are you ashamed of your body baldy?"

I think I blushed

"Of-of course not!" I said while I passed her the pizza with chocolate "Eat it!"

_How can she eat so fast? She's a monster, but at the same time is kind of attractive._

_I'm sick._

"Done" she said triumphantly as she wiped her mouth with her napkin "Give it to me"

I blushed

"You're crazy" I told her as I took off my shirt of The Avengers, letting out a light my slightly marked abs.

It was her turn to blush.

"What" I said with my hot face.

"What? No-Nothing! Put something on please" she said looking to the wall

"Okay! Jeez" I said as I got up to my closet, taking the first thing I found.

"It's your turn Springer"

_What? I thought we're done with this_

"Shoot Braus"

Let's say the combination of coke, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, it's not something that should be legally permitted.

"I did it" I said with a grimace of disgust "I want my prize"

"What do you want?"

I smirked

_You know what I want._

"I hate you" she said as she quickly pulled her dress off and then she puts my shirt.

Don't get me wrong, she didn't let me look.

"Here" I said, throwing a pair of pants at her head "before you get arrested for being in lingerie on the street"

After that we continue with the challenges, in some point I put Sasha's dress and I started dancing like an idiot, as she started laughing in my bed.

_She has a cute laugh_

It was about eight o'clock when she left. With my clothes. She was also grounded. Her mother let her out only because she begged for two hours, and she has to be in her house before nine.

"Bye"

_I don't want you to leave._

"See you" she said with a puppy face.

She kissed me on the cheek and left.

We talked till two in the morning, after she told me she was home.

_I never thought it would be so easy talk with a girl._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](http://radientwings.tumblr.com/post/78979497353/so-i-just-watch-hachi-for-the-first-time) is how Connie's feel, about that movie.  ~~is how i feel when i saw it for the first time, so in know what it feels bro.~~ ~~~~  
> So this is the big question, I have to add JeanxMarco in this work?
> 
> If you want to, please let me know [my shitty tumblr](springleslover.tumblr.com)
> 
> Edit: pfft yah, like if I hadn't done it anyway, making this a Springles ft JeanMarco fic...
> 
>  


	3. I'm not hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with an invitation, another movie, and a memorie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, we all know it'll come at some point.
> 
> Edited: emm, just...going to lie down for a while...

I came home, with Connie's clothes. My mother, after greeting me, looked me up and down.

_Oh hell, I thought she would be at work and I would have time to change clothes._

"Who's that outfit?"

"Uh, Connie's" I said scatching my temple.

_I must be prepared for anything_

"And why you're wearing his clothes?"

"I stain" I said trying to avoid her eyes "when I opened the soda's can, it splashed me and Connie"

_Wow, I didn't know that I could make up something so fast._

"Oh, and what about your dress?"

"I was not going to bring it wet right?" I said arching an eyebrow "besides Connie offered to wash it and give it to me later"

_I'm getting good at this_

"That's nice" she said doubtfully about my excuse "go wash, dinner's ready"

When I went up to my room, after putting my own clothes, I do something that shouldn't be permitted, unless you were in a movie.

I smell Connie's shirt.

_It smells like him. Axe, how they make all these delicious odors?_

When I realize what I was doing, I throw the shirt to my bed and went downstairs to dinner

_Connie's right, I'm crazy._

We talk till two in the morning. When we finished, I reread all our conversation. It was amazing how easy it was talk to him.

That day, about ten o'clock, Jean called me.

"Hey Braus"

"Hello Kirschtein"

"How was yesterday?" he said with a strange tone.

_Did he know I went to Connie's? It's impossible, I should avoid it the same way I did with my mother._

"Yesterday? Normal, what about you? "

_Not the best way to avoid it, I know._

"Didn't you go to Connie's yesterday?"

_Crap._

"Yeah, he invited me to eat pizza and watch a movie"

_Too much information_

"Really?! That damn midget told me it was just for homework."

I understood why he lied; Jean could be very annoying with a man/woman friendship.

"And what did you saw?"

_Why he make so many questions?_

"Hachi: A Dog's Tale"

"Aww, I bet he just make you saw it so he can hold your hand or hug you while you're crying. Ha-ha"

_Actually, I force him saw it, and I hold his hand._

"Nah, he was too busy crying"

_Oh, Connie's gonna kill me_

"Oh My God " he said when he started laughing.

"Why did you called?" I said trying to avoid more questions when he stopped.

"Oh that, you want to hang out with us on Friday after school?"

"Us?"

"Me, Marco and Connie"

_Connie_

"Okay, where?"

"We'll go to lunch and a movie"

_Lunch and a movie with Connie. I already did it, but now both were going to keep our clothes._

"Okay, see you Friday. Bye"

"Bye"

The week was endless waiting for Friday. When it came, the only thing that I could think was Connie in his school uniform. I had seen it in Jean before, gray trousers, a white shirt with buttons, with the shield of their school "Wings of Freedom", and a tie with red and brown stripes.

_If Jean looks good on that, imagine Connie..._

"Braus!"

"Aahh!"

It was Levi, the French teacher, a pretty intimidating dwarf, who had apparently been watching me daydreaming for a while.

"Repeat the lesson" he said, frowning unnaturally

"Je ne sais pas Monsieur."

_"I do not know sir," I had learned that phrase quite well for his classes._

"Maudit gloutonne. I swear, if the next time you don't answer right, I'll take your ass to the principal's office"

" _Damn gourmand", it didn't offend me, Levi was like this with practically everyone._

"Oui Monsieur"

_Yes sir_

The last class of the day was with Hanji, the weirdest and crazy person I've ever met. She teaches anatomy with an impressive passion, if someone had the smallest wound, she noticed. According to her was the smell of meat cicatrize.

Check Out came; I met with the guys to eat.

_Connie looks amazing in uniform._

We went to the nearest mall, a few blocks from my school and, as every Friday, a large crowd of students and even school teachers went to it. We bought tickets for the movie before going to eat, so we made sure to take some before they run out.

"So," Marco said smiling at me and Connie "Are you two dating or not?"

_Marco, I thought you were different, fucking Freckled Jesus._

"No!" Connie said, choking with his burger "How could I date her?"

_Auch_

"I meet her just three weeks ago, I don't see her that way, beside-"

"Connie" Jean interrupted when he saw my expression "enough, anyone would be lucky to get someone great as Sasha"

_Thanks Jean_

"Excuse me" I said slightly biting my lip "I'm going to the restroom"

"Sash -"

"Connie, don't" said Marco

_Why I'm crying?_

_It's not like what he said was a lie. I'm not his girlfriend, I hadn't even thought of that until now. So, why chest hurts so much? Connie is my best friend and I can't blame him, he would never like someone taller than him and for the way I eat, I didn't sound appealing to anyone._

_I must stop crying._

_Come on Braus, your father said you never have to cry, you promised._

_I remember when he taught me to control the bow, I was like five years, my hands hurt, they were full of calluses and blisters, and I began to weep._

_He took my hands and said "Come on, my petty potato" I remember he call me like that all the time "don't cry, Dad hurts to see those eyes full of tears, now you could be laughing , playing and jumping. I teach you arc so you can understand, no matter how difficult and painful could be, you should always strive to hit the target."_

_At that time all I did was hug him and keep practicing with him. If I'd known it was the last time we played together, I'd hugged him more._

_I must stop crying._

I came out from the cabine, I dried my tears and washed my face. I tried to disimulate the bags under my eyes and I went to the table.

When I arrive, Connie seem angry, but not with Jean or Marco.

_He's mad at me?_

"We should go, the movie starts in ten minutes" Marco said trying to break the awkward silence.

"Ok" we all three said in unison.

I sat next to Jean. I couldn't stay close to Connie without my chest hurt.

That night I didn't talked to him when I get home, after three weeks without fail, I couldn't.

"What's wrong honey?" My mom said, seeing that I hadn't touched anything on my plate.

"I'm not hungry"

_Bad answer_

"Okay girl, what's happening?" she said, with an angrier than worried voice.

_I can't stand it anymore._

"Connie"

"What he did?" she said getting angrier and angrier

"Nothing" I said raising a hand so she calm down "it's what he said"

"What he said?"

"When Marco ask if we were dating, he said we're just friends"

_Now that I say it loud, my sadness sounds increasingly illogical._

"He got nervous when Marco asked that?"

_Why she asks that?_

"Yeah"

"Oh" she said with a little smile.

"What?" I said, confused

"I think you shouldn't worry anymore" she said raising the dishes "besides, you still have his favorite shirt, right?"

"Yeah" I said before realizing "wait, how did you know it was his favorite?"

"Any mother would know" she said winking "go to your room, and try to settle with him"

I did it. I got up of the chair, I kiss her cheek and I went to my room and lay down on my bed, starving.

_I should have eat something, stupid Connie, because of him I have been acting weird lately and he make me feel -_

I almost fell out of bed when my phone began to ring. It was Connie.

My heart stopped, it was the second time because of him.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sash" he said, sounding sad, not that I minded, but it made me feel a little bad for my nonchalant tone.

"Hi, what's up?"

"Can I come by your place tomorrow?"

_Who he thinks he is? First he says that only sees me as a friend and then wants to come here like that?_

Sixteen years, the worst age to have feelings.

"Why you want to come?" I said

"I want to talk "he said serious "I'll bring food"

_Damn, why he had to say food?_

"Okay, I'll send you the address"

"Ok bye, take care"

"Bye"

_Connie, fucking avatar, you know if you said food I'll accept anything._

The next day, after my mom left to work, I wear the first thing I found. I didn't want to impress him anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok! I admitted that I base in [this](http://4nabs.com/upload/local10/_2boys_bag_bottle_contemporary_drinking_eren_jaeger_jean_kirchstein_male_multiple_boys_necktie_school_bag_school_uniform_shingeki_no_kyojin_short_hair_watch_white_background_xia_\(ryugo\)__eipq8JDAjn.jpg) when i describe Connie's uniform.
> 
> Sasha always remember [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTb9GNIxpMk) when she thinks about her father.
> 
> Edited: I didn't remembered this, my feelings, i add some little things and fixed others, hope you like it.


	4. Fries and Ketchup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with an apology, a mom and a dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connie's an idiot, but he cares about Sasha, so he's going to do anything to fix things up.
> 
> *whispers* thanks for the kudos, love you people *fall from bed*
> 
> Only if you didn't notice, the updates going to be on Wednesday
> 
> Edited: I literally "fixed" this since the second phrase -.-'

I needed talk to Sasha.

In the mall, then she left the bathroom, Jean and Marco put his eyes on me. Both frowning.

_They're angry?_

_No._

_Disappointed?_

"Why did you say that, fucking dwarf?" Jean said, pretty angry.

"It's the truth-"

"You know that's bullshit" he interrupted me, clenching his fists.

_Uh, now he's mad_

"What do you mean?" I asked before he punch me.

"Connie " Marco said this time, Jean was too angry to speak "It's pretty obvious that you like her more than a friend"

_What? The fact that I can't stop thinking in her and have smelled her dress after she'd gone doesn't mean anything, right?_

"You hurt her, Connie" Jean said looking my eyes "I've known Sasha longer than you and, believe it or not, she's a girl with feelings"

_You think you know her more than I do?_

_Did you know that she sleep with a stuffed monkey that her father gave her before he died? No, I'm the only one who knows, Sasha know she can trust me on everything, so don't feel so special._

"Plus" he continued "Sasha likes you"

My heart speed up.

"What?"

"Are you so down that you don't listen? She likes you, idiot, and you like her too but, since you're too coward to accept it, now Sash is crying in the bathroom"

_Crying._

Before we can continue, Sasha came to the table, her eyes were glazed.

_I'm a moron, idiot, dwarf. I've promised that she would never cry again, but now she wasn't crying for a movie, she was crying because of me._

_I hate myself._

Sasha didn't sit next to me in the movie. She didn't talk to me when she get home, after three weeks without fail. Neither of us did.

_I'm an idiot._

Apparently, the fact that I didn't touch the food on my plate made my mother worry.

"What is it, Bunny?"

_She didn't call me like that since I put braces when I was eleven._

"Nothing" I said moving my food with the fork.

She hit me in the neck

"You know I hate lies, what's wrong?"

"First of all, auch" my answer seemed to anger her more "second, I think I told Sasha that I don't see her more than a friend"

She hit me, again.

"Aahh" I shout rubing my neck "Why was that?"

"I told you I hate lies"

_What?_

"It's true"

"You like Sasha, and surely she likes you too. Why did you say that?"

_Everyone noticed that except us?_

"Why do you say that?" I said really confused

"Oh, I don't know" she said sarcastically "maybe the fact that you talk to her everyday since you came back from Jean's party or that you gave her your favorite shirt. You don't even let your cousin wear it when he stay here, why did you give it to her if you don't like her?"

_Oh God, I like Sasha. How I didn't notice it before?_

"Excuse me, it was delicious" I said standing of my chair and heading to my room as fast as I could.

_I was an idiot, why I didn't accept the fact that the girl drives me crazy since the moment I saw her?_

_I have to call her. Before things get worse._

"Hello?" she said with an indifferent

_Thanks for answering._

"Hi Sash" I said trying to sound calm

"Hi, what's up?"

_I think I like you._

"Can I come to your place tomorrow?"

_I know I had no right to ask that after what I said._

"Why do you want to come?"

_I want to talk you about what everyone knew and apparently we don't_

"I want to talk" trying to sound serious, "I'll bring food"

"Okay, I'll send you the address later"

_Bingo, with food in the middle she would accept anything._

"Ok bye, take care"

"Bye"

The next day, I woke up with more courage than I expected, but at the same time, my stomach couldn't stop spinning.

_Ok "Sasha Recovery Plan" in action._

_First, take a bath. Second look like a fucking model, a plaid shirt and tight jeans. Third get food._

_Food._

_What can I bring to say I'm sorry?_

_Chocolate? No, after what happened with the pizza I think I'll never be able to see chocolate again. It has to be delicious._

I left my house without any idea in my mind, thankfully, while I was walking, a small shop caught my eye, not by how it looked, but by the smell that was coming out of it.

_Perfect._

I came to Sahsa's place, more confident by having some food in my power, but when I was facing the door I couldn't move.

_Come on, if she accept you to come is because she doesn't hate you. And for the food, of course._

_Ring the bell._

My finger pressed the little button that was next to the door, I heard the sound of the knob and I stretched my arm with the bag of food in my hand as a peace offering

_There's no turning back Springer._

There she was, with a green sleeveless shirt and jeans.

_Green is his favorite color, how can anyone look so cute with something so simple?_

"Hey, can I come?" I said trying to smile

"It depends" she said before let me in.

"Of what?"

"What you brought to eat?"

_Sasha please never change_

"Fries with ketchup"

"Come in"

_I adore you._

We sat on the couch in the living room. Her mother was at work so we were alone in that big house.

"So?" she said as she ate "what you want to talk about?"

"I'm sorry"

"Why?" she told me indifferent.

_You know why, but you will force me to say it, don't you?_

"About saying that I only see you as a friend"

_This makes no sense. But it doesn't matter, all to make Sasha forgive me._

"Don't worry, I don't blame you, what would you see in someone like me?" she said, making my heart squeeze "I just know eat and nothi-"

"Sasha" I interrupted.

_Say it_

"I lied"

"What?" she said really confused

"I like you. I like you from the moment that I saw you eating that bowl of chips in Jean's party"

She blushed

_Keep going_

"I was terrified, what would happen if I don't like you the way I like you? I couldn't be able to see your face again. But it was worse, I make you cry, after I've promised you would never do that again"

Her mouth was slightly open, but she said nothing, she just stared at me in the eyes.

_Say something, please._

"That's the reason I came" I said trying to make her react with my voice, but it didn't worked "if you don't want to forgive me its okay, I understand"

I make my way to the door with a chest ache.

_I really wanted she forgive me, I'll never find someone like -Aahh_

Before I could notice, Sasha pulled my arm and hugged me tightly.

"Sash?" I said with my heart running faster.

"Connie"

"Does this mean you forgive me?"

_This isn't time to joke Springer._

She nodded her face against my neck, her breath tickled.

"I like you, Aang" I was able to hear.

_I can't believe it. Jean, Marco and my mom were right. I never thought Jean were right in something._

_What do I do? I kiss her? No, it would be rushed._

My thoughts were interrupted by Sasha's lips.

_They taste like ketchup, what a treat. Now this is my favorite flavor._

When we pull away, we were both red.

"Wow" was all that came out of my mouth.

"Wow? Is that all you have to say?" she said looking to the floor, smiling slightly

_I adore you_

"You taste like ketchup" she lift her head and looked at me shocked "and I love it"

She chuckled.

"You're a dork Connie" she said putting her forehead against mine

"But you kissed me anyway, right?"

Her face turned a subtle pink.

"Shu-shut up, I did it only because you didn't say anything. Let's eat"

She took my hand and led me to the couch.

After eating, we were watching TV. My arm around her and her head on my shoulder, it felt like paradise.

Her hair smells awesome, I can't believe that she feels the same way that I do, is like a dream.

I have to ask.

"Sash?"

"Yes?" she said without lifting her head from my shoulder.

Say it.

"You...want to be my girlfriend?"

_Why don't you say anything? This is killing me, I should never ask._

"Forget it, its stup-"

She kissed me in the cheek.

"Just for you know" she said looking into my eyes "that's a yes"

"Really?"

"Do you think I would say no to a celebrity? Aang" she said with a smile in her face.

"Someday I'll find someone like you Braus" I said

"You can't, I am unique" she said sticking his tongue out in mockery.

I kiss her.

_It's my turn_

"I know" I said "if there were two of you I don't know what would happen to the food on the world"

We stayed like that all afternoon, mocking each other, calling us in different ways, but always in a loving way, as we had done for three weeks.

Her mother came from work about eight o'clock.

_Oh God._

"Hello Mrs. Braus" said jumping off the couch to shake hands

_She's like Sasha._

"Connie, right?" I nodded "what are you doing here alone with my daughter?" She said serious.

"Oh? Me? Nothing we- we were- Ehh—Sasha?!

Suddenly she began to laugh

"Honey I was joking. You didn't have to get so nervous"

_Now I understand why Sasha is like she is._

"I think I should go" I said embarrassed "Bye Sash"

"Wait" her mother say "stay for dinner"

"I don't want to bother Mrs." I said, still embarrassed.

"No bother" she said taking my arm and leading me to the kitchen "you'll be my assistant, Sasha darling, stay there dinner will be ready in thirty minutes"

In the kitchen, she approached me and whisper

"Now I will teach you to prepare the Sasha's favorite food"

_I thought all the food was her favorite._

"Okay"

"Baked potatoes, asparagus and rice"

"That's her favorite?"

"Hers and her father's" she said a little sad "so you'll have to show off"

_She is very kind._

"I'll do my best," I said making a military salute.

Cooking it isn't as easy as I thought. I burn myself with oil while I was making rice.

And when the potatoes were ready, I took the font off the oven without cook mittens.

_Better that gourmand like this._

Sasha devours her plate and asked for more before her mother started with hers.

"It's delicious mom" she said

"Don't thank me" her mother said "this little soldier cook it all"

Sasha looked at me surprised

_Didn't see that coming don't ya?_

"Aang, you know cook?"

_If burn yourself while you do it doesn't matter, then yes, I know cook._

"It wouldn't be a good boyfriend if I didn't, right?"

She blushed.

_Oh heck, I said boyfriend, her mother didn't knew yet, we just started six hours ago and I already ruined it._

"Boyfriend?" her mother said.

"Ah yes, this ... I asked Sasha to be my girlfriend"

_I'm dead_

"Aww" she said as she stood up from her chair to hug me "how good you finally decided to"

_What? She isn't angry?_

She kissed me on the cheek and she turned to Sasha.

"When you were going to tell me?"

"Once we were alone" she said looking like a tomato.

_I'm the luckiest man in the world._

About ten o'clock, I say goodbye to Sasha's mother, and when I went to say goodbye to Sasha, she said

"I'll walk you to the door"

"Okay" I said smiling because she took my hand when she said that.

In the windows of the house I could notice the cold of the night and I was only with a shirt, but it didn't matter, the heat from Sasha's hand wa enough for me.

I looked at Sasha's eyes while she was on front of the door, with a puppy face, the same as she did when I invite her to my house.

_Those eyes can melt my heart_

I kissed her in farewell

Still tasted like potatoes on her lips.

_This is the third time I kiss her today, I could never get tired of her lips._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a small posibility that I based connie's outfit on [this thing](https://24.media.tumblr.com/7d1afd4b5287121bab70147ddab45cff/tumblr_n21v4dsRET1qa5n0qo4_1280.jpg) because its perfect.
> 
> [Connie](https://31.media.tumblr.com/1bb30ceb352e618e05437981f7755fca/tumblr_mztsy0lKwZ1r3ey0mo1_500.jpg) when he's not with Sash, but at least he didn't do [this](http://24.media.tumblr.com/00cbc7d16579216fcedd3d3847f82a71/tumblr_msjh98lwvA1rcdgd0o3_250.gif) when they're hugging   
> Edited: Ahh, young love, love it.


	5. Friends and Peaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a party, a fight and a reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You gonna love me and hate me in this chapter
> 
> Edited: I'm still shocked about the spelling errors, really...

It'll take some time to explain everything that's going on. It must be weird for them see that my best friend is now my boyfriend.

First I should introduce myself. Name? Jean Kirschtein, friend of Connie Springer and Sasha Braus, two idiots made for each other from the moment they met. But both are too blind to notice.

Yes, you heard right, my best friend, Marco, is now my boyfriend.

How all this happened? If there were a simple way to explain it, I would, seriously.

Marco is my best friend since I can remember. We always were neighbors and we went to the same school since sixth grade.

He's the kindest person I've ever met, the motherfucker doesn't see anything wrong to the world. So for me, and for many, it's so hard to understand our friendship.

Four weeks ago, what I thought I feel for him, gave a one hundred eighty degree turn. Apparently at that party some things happened that'll affect both of our lives.

I invite several of my friends to that party, but the most important arrive two hours before, just to be alone.

About a month before, he had introduce us, Connie and me, his girlfriend Mina, a lovely girl, who was almost as kind as he was. She was his first girlfriend, so I had never experienced that feeling before.

Of course, I also had "girlfriends ", girls which I dated like a week and then I broke up with them because I was bored listen their problems with me. If I knew the reason before I wouldn't have gone through so many breaks ups and my reputation as a "heartbreaker" in school, wouldn't have existed.

We were getting the things ready for the party when I decided to ask.

"Marco?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you  _see_  in Mina?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just want to know why you asked her to be your girlfriend without knowing her a while before"

_As much as I know you_

"Oh" he said scratching the space between his nose and his upper lip "I think it's because I think she's cute, and because everyone said we would make a nice couple, so why not give it a shot?"

_People can say that bugs are delicious, but you wouldn't eat them, right?_

"I don't think she's right for you" I said pulling out the plastic cups off the bag

_Why did you say that?_

"Who would be the "right" for me, Jean?"

"I don't know" I said looking him to the eyes "someone you can talk about anything, someone that could laugh about you and you can laugh about  _him_  without get mad"

" _Him_?" he said raising his eyebrows, before make a slight frown "What are you saying?"

_Oh shit, how could I say that? There must be a way to out of this._

"No, I didn't mean that I just-s-sorry man I-"

"Jean" he said giving me his back "let's finish with the things for the party"

"Okay"

My friends came and went straight to the garden, Mina was one of the first to arrive, she was greeted by Marco. He kissed her on the lips, I just stand there looking like an idiot as a girl interferes between me and my best friend.

_Why I still think Mina interferes? Marco never complained of my girlfriends, why it's so hard to accept it? Mina isn't bad, she's a good girl who will look after him._

A few hours later, after everyone has arrived, I saw Connie sat next to Sasha and started talking nonstop.

_These two are perfect for each other._

"Marco look-" he wasn't at my side when I talked.

He was on the couch with Mina, drinking sodas, because none of them drank beer. They laughed, talked, held hands and kissed.

_Jean control yourself, drink something, it will calm you._

Three beers later, nothing, zero. My chest ache still was there when I looked them in the couch. I kept drinking, in my fifth can, I search them with the eyes, but I couldn't find them.

_They must be doing it in my parent's room_

I kept drinking because of that thought.

Near one o'clock, most of the people had gone. Mina was one of the first who left around midnight. At two, we were just Marco, me, and those two idiots who were still in the garden.

"Hey Braus, Springer! Go home, it's late and I want to sleep! "

I'm not a nice person, no need to say. Most of people call me an idiot or a moron, but not Marco and I think that's one of the reasons why he's my best friend.

"Are you okay?" He asked when the guys have left and again we were alone in my house.

"Yeah, a little drunk maybe, that's all"

"How much did you drank?"

"I stopped counting at my fifth" I said as he looked at me worried "are you mad?"

"Why did you drink so much Jean?"

_Because my chest kept hurting when I looked at you two._

"There must be a reason?"

"You only drink when you're happy or when you're sad, and you weren't exactly happy tonight"

_I hate the fact you know me so well, if you didn't I could tell you that I broke up with my girlfriend or shit like that, but no, you had to be my best_ _fucking_ _friend._

"We're not together as before, a while ago I wanted to tell you how Connie and Sash seemed like soul mates, but you were on the couch, making out with Mina"

_I'm jealous?_

"As before, you mean a month ago?"

"Exactly"

"Jean, are you jealous of Mina?"

_I don't know, apparently yes._

"What? Why would I be jealous of her? She's your girlfriend, I'm your friend, if I were jealous, don't you think it would be a little fag? "

Don't misunderstand me, everyone can love whoever they fucking want , but it's strange that I feel jealous of my best friend's girlfriend .

"Look" I said getting up, trying to get out of this "I don't want talk about this anymore, let's go sleep"

He took a deep breath and, without a word, he got up from the couch and we went to my room, where I took off my clothes and put on my pajamas, it didn't care if he was, or not, looking.

"Where's the sleeping bag?" he said while I was settling in my bed

"No" I said pulling his arm and forcing him to fall right next to me "you'll sleep here"

I wrapped him with my arms and legs to keep him in my side.

"Jean, let me go, you're drunk!" he said squirming unable to leave my embrace.

"Nope" I said, kissing him in the cheek, very close to his lips "Night Marco"

He blushed.

He kept trying to pull away until he finally gave up, apparently when he fell asleep and I could finally relax my muscles to sleep too.

The next morning I woke up with a horrible hangover

_What time is it?_

_Why my arm is is asleep?_

_What's that smell? My deodorant doesn't smell like that._

_Bum bum._

My head collide with Marco's chin, increasing my pain.

"Marco, what are you doing in my bed, and why I'm hugging you?"

"You don't remember, don't you?" he rubbing his eyes "you got drunk, you kissed me and don't let me out of here"

I blushed

_I kissed him, on the cheek, but a kiss is a kiss._

_Shit_

"Uh, sorry," I said as I let him go "I think I get a little fond when I get drunk"

"You think?" He said as he stood up "come on get up, I'll make some coffee, I want to talk you about something"

"Ok" I said pulling the hair out of my face.

While we were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee, Marco said

"I broke up with Mina"

"What?"I said choking with my coffee "Why?"

_It shouldn't sound so happy._

"I thought about what you said. Mina deserves someone to look after her and someone who love her, and I realized that that's not me"

_He thought about how should be the right person for him? Or the fact I said "him"?_

"Sorry"

"No" he said putting his cup away "Jean now I want you to tell me why you were jealous, or whatever it's happened to you lately"

"I don't know dude" I said looking to my own cup "if I knew the reason why my chest hurts every time I see you two together, I'll tell you"

He looked at me, surprised

"Jean" he said after a while "you like me?"

_What?_

"Marco, are you calling me fag?" I said, really angry

"No!" he said lifting his hands in defense "it's just because the way you've been acting lately and the fact you're jealous of Mina, any would think of that"

"Marco, I'm not jealous of Mina" I said raising my voice "I think...I think you better go now"

"Jean" he said, standing up from his chair, "Please"

"Go away Marco! Do you think you can tell me fag without me getting mad?"

He walked to the entrance in silence

"Fine Jean" he said deadpan opening the door "when you understand what is happening to you, let me know, I can't stand your idiocy any longer"

_This is the first time he called me an idiot. Auch_

I didn't talk to Marco that week. When I was in school I sat with Connie most of my classes, hearing how he kept talking about Sasha.

"Hey horse face" Connie said as we ate, Marco was sitting in the other side of the cafeteria.

_Uugh hate that nickname_

"What do you want dwarf?" I said without taking my eyes off my plate

"What's up between you and Marco?"

_Isn't it obvious? He hates me._

"Nothing, why do you ask?"

"Dude" he said really serious "anyone would notice that you have been avoiding him since the party. Didn't he break up with Mina that night? "

"Yeah, so?" I said confused

"Shouldn't you be happy?"

What, did you know?

"Why should I?"

"Don't you like Mina?"

_Connie wouldn't notice a bomb even if there one in his nose_

"No! What makes you think that?" I said angrier than I should.

"Dude, you've been acting really weird since Marco started dating her, anyone would realize that you're jealous"

_If Connie noticed that, it must be very obvious._

_Fuck._

"I have to go" I said as I got up and took my backpack "bye dwarf"

"The school doesn't end jet, Jean!" he said as he ran after me.

"I don't care! Tell them I'm sick or something!"

When I get home, my parents were at work, so I could be alone with my thoughts. I leaned on my bed and I put my hands over my face.

_I have to calm down. There must be a logic reason for what I'm feeling._

_I like Marco?_

_That would mean I'm gay._

_Now that I think, I never question my sexuality. I always saw men date women and I did the same, I did what I tought it was normal._

_It wouldn't be a bad thing tough, I never judge anyone for something like that, I judged them for their fucking attitude. Marco is nice, friendly and he is the only person who knows what happens to me only with looking my eyes._

_I like Marco._

And I realized, now I knew why I had been more idiotic than usual lately.

_Fuck, I like Marco, how I wouldn't like that freckled Jesus? He's perfect._

_And I treat him like garbage when he asked me if I like him. I couldn't accept that, not like now. Thanks to Connie I finally understand._

_I never thought that dwarf was right with something._

_I must speak with Marco, before things get worse._

After a week without talking to him, I sent him a message.

**Marco?**

It took a while before his response

_I forgot he was still in school._

**What is it?**

**I need to talk to you, can you come after school?**

**What do you wanna talk about?**

_I think I like you._

**Just come over, ok?**

_Nice Jean._

**Okay, bye.**

_Thanks Marco._

**Bye**

He came to home around four in the afternoon. Apparently he wasn't very happy for be here.

"Hi" I said

"Hi" he said as he entered and sat on the couch "what do you want to talk?"

"Ok" I said, sitting beside him, our knees brushed "I finally understand what happens to me, but you must promise not to say a word till I end"

"Okay" he said settling, really curious "Shoot"

_Ok Kirschtein, you can, just tell that fucker how you feel._

"Marco, I'm eighty percent sure" I sigh deeply "I was jealous of you and Mina, because I like you"

He was surprised and the tips of his ears were pink.

"This is most unusual for me than for you, when you started date Mina and not having you around as before, made me realize that I want to always be by your side, that's cliché, I know, but it's true. You're my best friend and the only person who understands me without saying a word. When I saw you kissing Mina, I realized I want your lips for me and no one else"

Marco was totally blushing.

_Keep going_

"I can't, I can't see you with someone other than me. All I want is to hold you, kiss you and wake up with you like we did a week ago, with the difference that you'll hold me back. "

I realized I had my face hot

"Jean" said Marco, after being silent for a while "you're an idiot"

"Tch. Thanks man, I just opened my heart and you treat me like-"

I couldn't finish the sentence.

_Marco is kissing me. His lips are soft and taste like peach._

_He ate before coming here?_

_Wait, does this mean he likes me?_

_Wow I sometimes do stupid questions._

When we finally move away, Marco looked like a tomato that highlighted his freckles.

"I love you" I said

_Crap._

"Jean"

That was all he could said before my mother arrived home from work.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm a bag of trash, no need to say
> 
> Jean does never shut up!, really, is annoying
> 
> [This song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYQiVC82zoY) describes how Jean feels about Marco
> 
> (If you notice, i have a little problems so I update this chapter like three times.  
> If you didn't. Forguet this)
> 
> Edited: and think that you have to wait more than a week to read the next chapter.


	6. Tea and Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a memorie, an asshole and a bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I know its late, but like every "normal" person I have homework and something called "life" (I think it's a Myth)
> 
> Edited: Oh ye, this chapter...

_I'm Marco Boldt and I'm in love with my best friend._

One week ago I had broken up with Mina, Jean had not spoken to me in all that time until today.

Jean didn't show up in the last class. Not that I minded me anyway, but he seemed really pissed when he left the lunchroom.

_What did Connie said?_

_Agghh, it's none of my business.._

_I told him not to talk to me anyway._

When I tought that, my phone started to ring, just in the middle of math class, with Keith Shadis, tall, intimidating and ex army general.

Apparently he was discharged, but no one knows why.

_I remember the first day he came, he put us all in a row and started asking algebra problems and Connie, of course, had the wrong answer._

_Keith took Connie's head and raised him from the floor, and while he frowns in an unnatural way he said:_

_"You should know the answer, what have you been doing to forget something like that, you bastard?"_

_Nobody said anything; we were just there, hoping that he actually didn't kill Connie._

_After a month, we realized that he wasn't really a bad person. He just did that to scare us, like a warning, never interrupt his class._

"Boldt!" he shouted, directing several glances at my direction, including Connie's "That was your phone?"

"Y-Yes Sir!" I stuttered

"And, what is so important to interrupt my class?" he said with a grim expression

"I don't know sir!" I said with the phone in my hand "I only get a text message"

"Get your ass out of the room!" he said pointing at the door "before I make you run ten laps to the school field"

"Yes sir!"

I got up from the chair, still with several eyes on me, I sat on the floor in front of the classroom door and then I read the message that had put me in this situation.

Jean asked me to come to his place, in the most "friendly" way as possible.

_Well is Jean after all, you can't ask him to be friendly._

When the school finish, I say goodbye to Connie and make my way to Jean's house, it was twenty minutes by walk, so I could eat some peaches from lunch and immerse in my own thoughts

_What he want to talk about?_

_Well, I told him that he could talk to me when he knew what was wrong_

_I told him idiot, I never called him like that before. Even when we met._

_I still remember that day; I was playing in my front yard. Jean had moved the day before to the next door house. When I saw him, all I could thought was that his hair was weird, top blonde and the shorter part was brown._

_He sat beside me on the grass; he asked me why I wasn't playing with the kids that were in the other street._

_When I told him that they always bothered me because I preferred playing with legos to play football with them, he got up and gave them a beating._

_It didn't mattered that they were older, higher or the fact that they were three and he just one._

_He back to me with his nose bleeding and his clothes full of dirt._

_"Why did you do that?" I said really confused and angry "you don't even know my name, why you fight them?"_

_I really thought he was an idiot, but I didn't think it was right to tell him._

_He shrugged._

_"You seem like a nice kid" he said grinning, toothless "I don't think is right to they bother you just because you don't want to play with them"_

_I just stay there, watching him in the eyes, really confused, but yet touch by what he did for me._

_"What's your name?" he continued "Mine is Jean Kirschtein"_

_"Marco Boldt" I said as I got up taking his hand leading us to my mother so she could heal his wounds._

_From that moment, we were inseparable._

_This week has been a nightmare. I miss Jean; I had never been so long without talk to him._

_I need him_

_When I broke up with Mina it didn't hurt as much as not having him around._

_In fact, I broke up with her because I thought Jean was jealous._

_Do I like Jean?_

I couldn't answer my question. I came to Jean's house and I rang the doorbell, trying to seem more "angrier" than I was.

"Hi" Jean said fron the door.

"Hi" I said as I entered and sat on the couch "what do you want to talk about?"

"Ok" he said as he sat beside me, our knees touched "Now I understand what happens to me, but you must promise not to say a word till I end"

_I don't care what you want to talk about, while you talk to me is fine._

"Okay," I said "Shoot"

"Marco, I'm eighty percent sure" he sighed after talking so fast that I barely could understand what he said "I was jealous of you and Mina, because I like you"

_Wait, what? Jean likes me? Since when? How I didn't notice it? I feel my face hot._

I didn't pay much attention of what he said, but I could hear this.

"- when I saw you kissing Mina, I realized that...I want your lips to me and no one else"

_Jean feels the same as me._

_When I saw him kissing his girlfriends, the only thing I could think about was what his lips taste like_

_None of us notice it_

"I can't, I can't see you with someone other than me. All I want is to hold you, kiss you and wake up with you like we did a week ago, with the difference that you'll hold me back"

_That night I slept like a baby._

_At first I just wanted to go out of there because I was scared of feeling so comfortable and safe in his arms_

"Jean" I said after a while "you're an idiot"

_My idiot_

"Tch. Thanks man, I just opened my heart and you treat me like-"

I didn't let him finish.

_His lips are dry, but really warm. They taste like coffee, he must have been nervous while he was waiting._

When we pull apart, we both were flushing.

"I love you" he said with his eyes closed.

_What?_

"Jean" was all tha I could say when Jean's mother arrived from work.

_Oh god, I'm dead._

Jean's mother was like him, when you got to know her she was really friendly and even affectionate.

She was also one of the most religious person that I had known, it wasn't a bad thing, but what she would thought of his son and his best friend so close that their noses were touching.

_There's no way out._

"What are you doing?" she said surprised

_Jean it was a pleasure to meet you._

Before I could say anything, Jean got up from the couch and said

"Mom, let me explain-"

"Jean" said his mother "you're a ..." she didn't finish the sentence, but we both understand what she meant.

"Apparently yes" Jean said, trying to ease up the situation.

"What did I do to deserve such punishment Lord?" his mother said crossing herself.

"Punishment?" He said getting mad "What are you talking about?"

_Jean calm down, please._

"You" she said pointing me, with anger in her eyes "you are responsible for my son feel like that, always being near him, being kind and caring, how Jean wasn't going to feel confused? I want you out of his life!"

His mother came to me, raising her hand.

_She's going to slap me._

_It doesn't matter._

_I will bear whatever, but I'll never move away from Jean, I swear it.  
_

Before she could, Jean stood in front of me and held his mother's hand.

"Mom!" he said

He's not angry, he's sad?

"If what I'm feeling were Marco's fault, believe me I would have punch him a long time ago" he said before releasing her and looked into her eyes "Why don't you accept the fact that your son loves his best friend?"

His eyes were glazed

"Jean" his mother said "what will the neighbors say? In your school? People are mean and-"

"I don't give a shit what people think!" Jean said with tears on his cheeks "The only people who care enough to me are you!"

"Marco" she said "go home"

"Mrs. please" I said with a lump in the throat

"Go home Marco!"

I looked Jean to say goodbye

_He's crying, I would like to hug him, I feel like I would never have the chance to do it again._

I got out of there as fast as I could.

That night, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened.

_Jean, I love you._

_That was all I could have said. But I didn't, I was terrified._

_Surely they will move out or change Jean to other school._

_I won't be able to see him again_

_I felt as tears sprang as I think that._

_No, I have to be strong, for Jean and me, I must be strong._

_I have to sleep…_

_At least a few hours, I have to sleep._

No, I couldn't sleep. I was trying to think of ways to take Jean away from here without hurting my mother.

I didn't find anything.

When I hear my alarm ring, I took a deep sigh and I got up from my bed.

I dress myself and, without breakfast, I left my house to go to school.

There was Jean.

He looked tired, probably he didn't sleep all night either.

He has a bruise on his cheek.

_Does his mother slap him?_

"Jean" I said reaching him "what happened to you?"

"Ah that?" he said pointing to his cheek "my father, last night"

_His father._

_He says it so natural, as if he were used to it._

"What are you doing with that?" I said pointing the bag that was in his hand.

"Can I stay in your place a couple of days?" he said looking to the floor, avoiding my eyes.

_What?_

"Jean" I said serious, really worried "what happened?"

"Marco we have to go school, I'll tell you later" he said as he started to walk.

"Jean" I said, taking his arm and sat us down on the stairs of the entrance "tell me now"

"Okay" he said sighing "last night when my dad came home, my mom told him everything. There was a big fight, my father punch me for all the cursing thing. Besides, as my father made me understand, they both have suspected it before, but they denied it because my mother's religion and my father's pride"

"And they kick you out?" I said putting my hand on his shoulder so he could continue.

"No, I just don't want to see their disappointed faces every morning" he said tearfully "can I stay here for a while? I have nowhere to go"

I hugged him. The way I want to do it yesterday. The way I would do it from now on.

"Of course you can, Jean" I said stroking his head.

"Thank you" he said as his tears fell from his cheek to my t-shirt.

_Jean hates cry, he always tries to contain himself._

_But I think now it's too much._

"Jean" I said when he look up "I love you"

I kissed him gently, letting him know that it would never let him go.

"You finally say it dude" he said smiling and wiping his tears "I never thought you would"

"Come on" I said getting up and taking his hand "let's leave that bag at home"

"What about your mother?" Jean said worried "you told her?"

_After last night, I only greet her and went straight to my room._

"No" I shrugged "I think it's time to do it"

He frowned and followed me to the entrance.

My mom was in the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

"Mom" I said to get her attention.

"Hi honey, did you forget something?" she said before looking up and seeing Jean "Oh, hi Jean how are-what happened to your face? Have you fought again? How many times have I told you-" then she saw the bag and our holding hands "What's going on here"

"Mom" I said squeezing Jean's hand "can he stay a couple of days?"

"Boys" she said, not angry, but rather frustrated for not being able to understand what was happening "tell me what is going on, now"

We told her everything.

The party, the fight, the kiss, Jean's parents, the "escape".

Everything.

I didn't realize I was crying until my mother dry the tears from my cheek with her thumb.

Then she hugs us.

"Jean" she said, almost whispering "stay all you want, I'll help you. Both of you"

"Mrs. Boldt" Jean said with some tears in his eyes "Why you're not mad?"

She pulled apart from us and put Jean's face in her hands, smiling.

"Why would I be mad?2 she said "because you love my son? Because he loves you back?"

Jean was really surprised.

_I love my mom_

"Besides" she continued "I would get mad if you hurt my baby"

_She didn't call me that way in years._

Jean released my hand and hugged her.

"Thanks" he said hiding his face in my mom's neck, sobbing a little "I would never hurt him, any of you"

"Don't worry" my mom said as she stroked his back "now, go to school before you get late, I'll take that bag to Marco's room"

I toke Jean's hand in the way to school, but two blocks before reaching it, he let go my hand.

"Marco" he said looking at the ground "I 'm sorry ..."

"Jean" I said putting my hand on his shoulder "I understand, don't worry"

He hugged me and whispered in my ear

"I promise that someday I'll hold your hand, I'll kiss you, hold you in public, but ..."

"Jean" I said when we parted "just when you're ready"

Two weeks later, we met at the mall with Sasha and Connie. Luckily Jean's cheek was almost its normal size, so we didn't have to explain anything to Sasha.

Connie acted like an idiot when I joked if he was with Sasha.

_It reminds me a little of what happened with me and Jean_

That evening when we got home, Jean looked sad.

"What's wrong?" I said

"It's like I've seen me" he said putting his face in his hands "what Connie said, how Sasha cried. I did you the same thing; I swear I hate me more than him"

"Jean, don't worry. Besides I didn't cry, I'm a man" I said in a husky voice as I put my arm around his shoulders

"A stupid man" he said before kissing the corner of my mouth.

"Jeez, thanks" I said as I chuckled

A week later, way to school, Jean, who was apparently more confidet, decided not to let go my hand two blocks before arrive school, as he had done all this time.

"Jean" I said "You're gonna be okay? I mean...in school, they can tell us something hurtfull"

"Let them say what they want!" He said, raising our hands in victory and shouted "I love Marco Boldt and don't give a shit what people think!"

_This asshole_

"Okay, okay I get it! Calm down!" I said and kissed him on the cheek.

_It's so easy to make him blush._

"H-Hey " Jean said looking down trying to hide his blush "If someone says something bad to you, I'll take care of take off every tooth of his shitty mouth."

"Thank you?" I said laughing.

_I'm glad he's calmer now._

_We both know that at some point we will have to talk to his parents, but I rather_   _enjoy these quiet moments._

Everyone and, saying everyone I meant, even the teachers looked at us when we walked in holding hands, many commented to themselves, some even congratulated us, not sarcastically, but in a sincere way.

No one dared to say anything bad. Jean's reputation was enough to defend both of us.

When we got to the classroom, Connie was in his seat, apparently, texting Sasha.

_I'm glad they have fixed things up, now they are inseparable._

_Like we are._

"Hey Springer!" Jean shouted from the door like every morning.

Connie looked up.

"Hey Kirschtein! Hi Mar-" he notice how our fingers were interlocked

"What the hell is going on here?" he shouted from his seat.

_Connie, I don't even understand._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I make you hate Jean's parents.
> 
> My role here is completed
> 
> [Jean's Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSOLBMUvIE) in this chapter
> 
> Edited: Jean is one of those kind of people that you can make blush with just a little smile, that's why Marco (and I) love him. I really fixed a lot of things, I call Jean a girl like three times...I'll see ya in the next chapter, bye.


	7. Popcorn and Hot dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a chokehold, a nickname and a prank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all thank you guys for all the kudos, you're awesome!!
> 
> second, this chapter is Connie's POV so...yeah

I was in the classroom, before the classes had started, I was texting with Sasha and eating a chocolate bar.

_Finally I overcome that phase of chocolate._

Then I heard Jean called me from the door

"Hey Springer!" he cry like every morning.

 I looked up from my phone.

"Hey Kirschtein! Hi Mar--" and I saw them.

_What's going on?_

_They came together as always, they’re neighbors. But now they’re holding hands._

"What the fuck is going on here?" I shout from my seat

_You better had a good explanation._

 "Apparently we’re dating” Marco said with a shrug.

_Dating, What? When? How?_

"So you’re trying to tell me” I said very seriously "that you broke up with a cute, adorable and sweet girl like Mina" I point Jean "For this asshole?"

I couldn’t help but laugh to say the latter.

Jean released Marco’s hand and went towards me pulling me from the neck, making me fall from my bench

"What do you mean whit asshole? Dwarf" he said with a smirk.

_Fuck, damn you chokehold, I can never get out from this._

"Aahg, Marco help!" I said stretching my hand to him.

"No" he said crossing his arms "ask apologies to Jean"

_What? Marco you’re a traitor._

"Oh come on!" I shout

"Do it, dwarf!" Jean said, laughing.

"Aahh no! Get off me!" I said hitting his ribs, without results.

_I need air, but I can’t give up, Jean always wins._

"Say I'm cute as Mina!" he said squeezing the chokehold

_I can’t breathe._

"You're cute as Mina" I said with me last remaining air.

He finally let me go. When he did, I fell on the floor

_Air, precious air_

"Aww thanks dwarf" Jean said stroking my head

"Shut up damn horse face" I said catching my breath "I’ll win someday”

"That will happen when I stop loving Marco" he said putting his arm around his shoulders "that means, never!" And then he kisses him.

"Oh please" I said covering my eyes "get a room!"

_I always say that when I see a couple kissing in public._

_I think I should quit that because now I’ll be one of those couples._

At that time Keith entered the room.

Thanks to him, I realized how all our classmates had watched our scene.

"Get a life!" I say sitting in my bench.

_If anyone dares to say something I’ll kill him._

Keith started the class after everyone had sat.

_I hate math, how can I use logarithm in real life? In nothing, they’re useless!_

_Sasha hates math too._

_It's been five days since I kiss her and I want to do it again._

_Every kiss would be a different meal with her._

_I can’t believe we four are dating our best friends._

_Now that I think, I haven’t told them that Sasha and I are dating._

_How should I? Should I get with her by the hand like they did? Or I tell them directly?_

_I think this is one of “those” moments._

_I must talk to Sasha._

When the class finally ended, I sent her a message.

**Sasha**

**Hi honey, what’s up?** She said after a while.

_She said honey? Why she’s so fucking cute?_

_Focus Springer._

**You want to play a prank on Jean and Marco?**

**That question insults me, of course I do!**

**Come this evening to my place and I'll give you details.**

**Ok, see you**

**Bye babe**

_I told her babe, maybe I should tell her darling or love. Aahg is too late for that. Sasha will come to my house. Should I tidy up my room? Nah, Sasha knows me very well to do that, plus I don’t think we’ll move from the couch_

When school finish, Jean and Marco asked me to go with them to the mall, but I told them I had to study for an exam, my mother would never forgive me if fail again.

_If I would told them I had to study without my mother’s warning they wouldn't have believed me._

_Even I wouldn't have._

I went home as fast as I could. I change clothes and wait for Sasha with a bowl of popcorn. She came around five o’clock.

"Hi" I said greeting her with a kiss

_Tastes like banana._

She blushed

_I’d never get tired of that blushing face._

"What?" I said when we pull apart "You still can’t believe you're dating with such a great guy like Connie Springer?"

"Connie" she said, now with a light pink tone in the face "you’re blushing too"

_Shit_

"Ehh...Come in"

"Thanks" she said as she sat on the couch and filled her mouth with popcorn "What's the plan then?"

"Oh yeah, you have to know something first" I said, sitting beside her.

"What?" she said confused

_How do I say this?_

"Jean and Marco" I said taking air, only to be mysterious "are together"

"What?!" she said choking with the popcorn.

"They are dating, like you and me" I said

_I love to say that we’re dating._

"I knew it!" she said in victory

_What?_

"How can you know it? They just told me today when I saw them walk in the classroom holding hands"

"Connie, it was obvious that they’re looked each other more like friends, or you though they were friends just because"

"I’d have noticed" I said crossing my arms "they’re my best friends"

"Connie" Sasha said putting her hand on my shoulder "you wouldn’t notice a Zombie invasion till they bite you"

_Alright it’s true. I sometimes can be a little naïve._

_Ok, always! I hadn’t even realize that Sasha likes me_

 "Want me to tell you the plan or not?" I said serious

"Yep" she said getting comfortable.       

We were planning what to do till ten o’clock

"Ok" I said "tomorrow the plan starts"

"I can’t believe I have to do _that_ " Sasha said upset

"Don’t worry" I said hugging her "no one will say anything, it's normal for girls to do _that”_ and I kissed her in the forehead.

She punched me in the stomach

"Idiot" she said before kiss me

_Why she calls me an idiot right before kiss me?_

_I am, but you don’t need to remind me._

After Sasha has gone I went to my room and I send the message to Jean

_Plan in Action_

**Hey horse face**

It took a while for the answer

**‘Sup dwarf?**

_I would love to be tall to kick his ass._

**I think we should tell Sash what’s happening between you and Marco.**

_Please say yes._

**I was thinking doing it in the weekend.**

**Sasha invited me to the mall tomorrow, I think it would be a great chance**

_Accept. Accept. Accept._

**Okay**

_That was easy_

**But why are you so interested in tell her?**

_Fuck_

**Because she’s our friend and she has the right to know, okay? See you tomorrow.**

_Don’t ask anymore_

**Ok see ya tomorrow**

**Bye**

_Phase 1 completed._

_Tomorrow, Phase 2 starts._

We were going to the mall, but before we meet the guys, I met Sasha and we check the plan.

"Did you bring the drops" I asked as we walked.

"No, but don’t worry, I brought something better" she said pointing to her bag.

"Ok, Phase Two begins"

When we find them, Jean and Marco weren’t holding hands.

_They tried to hide it before telling Sasha._

_I don’t have to laugh_

_Come on Springer, think ugly things._

_Dead kittens, dead puppies, dead--_

_I don’t have to cry._

After buying a hot dog, we all sat at the table. Jean looked at Sasha

"Sasha" he said serious

"What’s up Jean?" Sasha said giving a bite to her hot dog

"There's something you should know”

"What?" Said acting surprised.

_Well done_

Jean took Marco's hand.

"Marco and I are dating"

Both looked nervous.

_Please don’t laugh, please._

"What?" Sasha said looking hurt "since when?"

_Perfect_

"Three weeks ago" Marco said.

_That day Jean left the school at lunch._

_Now I understand_

_Jean was jealous, but not of Marco, of Mina._

_The after day he came with a bruised cheek, but I didn’t care, he always appeared with wounds or cuts from his fights._

My thought faded as Sasha started talking.

"I can’t believe it" Sasha said burying her face on her hands "This can’t be happening”

_How she does this? I barely can stop my laugh._

"Sash?" Jean said releasing Marco’s hand "are you crying?"

_This is awesome, why I can’t record it?_

Sasha hands off her face, her eyes full of tears.

_I don’t have to do anything, she's just acting._

_But my chest still hurts._

"Jean" she said crying, "I love you" putting her hand on Jean’s

_Pff_

_No, don’t laugh_

"What?!" Jean said removing his hand "what are you talking about? You like Connie!"

_He’s terrified._

_I love it._

"Jean, you really think I like him? He's my friend and I don’t see him in other way"

_I know she say it as revenge_

_It doesn’t matter, I deserve it._

"I asked Connie help" she continues "to make you jealous. I thought it was working. I really love you Jean”

"Sasha" Jean was paralyzed

Marco just looked puzzled.

"It's your fault!" Sasha said pointing to Marco "Why you have to be so damn adorable Freckled Jesus?"

She raises a hand to slap him, but suddenly she started laughing.

"Pff ...Hahahaha, I can’t” she said as she wiped her eyes "I can’t continue"

I started laughing too; Jean and Marco were frozen while we weren’t able to stop laughing

"What the fuck is going on here?" Jean shouts over our laughter.

"Sasha already know” I said giggling "I told her last night and we wanted to make you a prank”

"It was your idea" Sasha said trying to calm down "he forced me"

"You jackass, I almost piss myself!" Jean said.

Now we couldn’t stop, even Marco joined in our laughter.

"Marco!" Jean said hitting his boyfriend’s ribs "It wasn’t even funny!"

"Aww Jean" Sasha said and calmer "Hurts that I don’t love you in that way?”

"Shut up!" Jean said blushing “how did you cry anyway?"

Right, she didn’t bring the drops I gave her yesterday.

"Oh yeah" Sasha said as he checked his bag "this"

_An onion_

"You put that in your eyes?" I said as I wiped the left tears on her cheeks.

"It was less painful to wear those stupid drops you gave me yesterday" he said putting back the onion in her bag “by the way" she said as she looked up "Congratulations guys, you make a great couple”

"Thanks" Marco while Jean filled his mouth with fries

_Oh yeah, this was to tell them_

"Jean, Marco I have to tell you something"

"What do you want now dwarf?" Jean said, still annoyed for the prank.

I took Sasha’s hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Sasha and I are dating" I said smiling

"What?” Marco said

"Yes" I said "for that was the prank, to tell you"

“Fucking dwarf, why a joke? Why not just say it?" Jean said getting angrier.

"You two came by the hand, so I couldn’t do that. Besides, you almost kill me with the chokehold, this is my revenge" I said sticking out my tongue.

"You fucki--"

Jean couldn’t finish, Marco cover his mouth with the hand.

"How long?” Marco said smiling

"A week ago" Sasha said

 "So you didn’t waste time" Marco said smirking “and you kissed already, right?"

We both blush.

_This freckled never stops amaze me, anyone would think he’s the most innocent of the four, but no._

"A couple of times" Sasha said smiling

"And all with different flavors" I said before I could stop myself

_Shit_

Jean started laughing like a crazy and Marco was trying to contain himself.

"Connie!" Sasha said looking like a tomato

_She's so cute when she blushes._

We continue eating, talking about things like school and how Sasha and I had become lovers.

I told them about the dinner and that I had burned my hands and arm in the process.

When I show them my scars, Jean couldn’t stop laughing.

At one point Sasha said excitedly

 "Guys, Halloween is a week away"

_Oh no._

_Sasha loves Halloween._

_Tons of sweets with only ring a bell._

_This isn’t going to end well._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are in half way for this shit, and it's really scaring.
> 
> And because there's no song for this chapter I'll left you [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctlEBHDROAw), use it however you want


	8. Trick or Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with costumes, toy guns and a bet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween is the best holiday of the year (apart from christmas, that had North as a guardian) and Sasha loves it!!
> 
> [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6vLhFO9Dto) song describes this chapter :D
> 
> *whispers* thank you guys for the kudos, you rock.

Trick or treat

I love that phrase.

Since little I always loved Halloween, apart from the fact of being able to eat candy till your teeth fall out, you can be whoever you want that night and no one will judge you.

When I told the guys that there was only one week to Halloween, they all went silence.

"What?" I said as I continued eating my hot dog.

"Sasha" Jean said "don’t you think we’re too old to go trick or treating?"

"You think we're older?" I said a little upset "a year ago you didn’t bother to join me”

"But we went with my brother" he said

"So?"

"Guys" Marco said taking Jean’s hand "Jean is staying at my house until things improve in his, so I don’t think we could take trick or treating Dean"

_Jean stays with Marco, it had to be a big fight to go away from home._

_Poor Dean, surely his mother didn’t told him why Jean left._

Apparently my face worries them.

"Sorry Sash" Jean said "I know you wanted to go trick or treating"

"It's not your fault" I said trying to smile

_I really wanted to take Dean for candy. He loves Halloween as much as me._

"We can take my cousins " Connie said emerging from his silence.

"You have little cousins?" I said more excited than I should.

"Yes, one six, a girl of seven and the eldest have nine. I always take them trick or treating while their parents and my mother stay home taking care of giving candies to the other kids"

"Connie I love you!" I said as I wrap him with my arms and gave him multiple kisses on the face.

"Okay, I get it, calm down!" he said blushing "guys, you come too, right?"

Jean and Marco looked each other and smiled.

"Of course" Marco said

"But we will decide the costumes" Jean said smirking.

"Deal" Connie and I said in unison.

_It isn’t really a bad condition; Jean loves Halloween as much as I and Dean, but he’s “too cool” to admit it. Plus, the damn is good with makeup._

That week the school decorates the walls with spiders, skeletons and witches

It was beautiful.

Many said that they were too old for it and that the school shouldn’t bother to decorate.

I only looked them with despite while they were taking selfies with the decorations

_Assholes_

_Halloween and trick or treating with Connie’s cousins it’s going to be awesome,_

_But I'm missing something._

_Or someone_

_We always go trick or treating with him._

_This year shouldn’t be exception. I must speak to their mother._

I was three days before Halloween when I went to Jean’s house. I knew he wouldn’t be around because they were on exams season and they were staying in school for study, so I could get there without an interrogatory.

When I arrive, Mrs. Kirschtein and Dean had just returned from shopping.

Mrs. Kirschtein loves me. She always wanted me to be Jean’s girlfriend.

_Sorry ma’am, we both love our best friends._

"Hi Sasha" the little eight year old boy said when he opened the door "What are you doing here?"

"I'll ask your mother if I can take out trick or treating with me" I whispered

"Why Jean didn’t come to ask, when he’s coming back?" he said sad for not being able to see his older brother.

"If she let me take you, I'll tell you" I said stroking his brown hair "Mrs. Kirschtein?"

"Yes?” she said as she pulled the purchases off the bags

"Can I take Dean to trick or treating on Halloween?"

"Will you go only by yourself?” she said looking at me sideways.

"No, I will go with my boyfriend and his three young cousins"

_I can’t tell her that Jean and Marco will go too._

"Why do you want take him?" she said serious and turning to me "Jean isn’t your boyfriend"

"Look Mrs. Kirschtein" I said tired of her attitude "Your two sons are like my brothers. And just because you’re mad at one of them, doesn’t mean the other has to suffer too”

"Sasha" she said surprised by my determination "Okay. I'll take him to your boyfriend’s home at six-thirty and I’ll get him about ten, alright?”

"Perfect" I said happy that my plan has resulted.

I said goodbye to her and Dean, he was excited as I to go trick or treating together.

_I have to tell Connie. I can’t take Dean to his place without his knowing. I know he’ll accept without problems._

I came home, called Connie and told him what I did.

"Are you nuts?!" he said into the phone "Jean’s going to kill you"

"Jean wouldn’t do that" I said before reconsider "well, at least not with his brother there"

"Are you sure about this?" he said really worried

"Sure. Look, I gave her your address, she’ll left Dean at six -thirty, she isn’t the kind of people who enter and greet everyone, so she won’t notice that Jean’s there. It's the perfect plan"

"Okay" he said with a sigh "I’ll trust you"

"You always do” I said with a mocking tone

"I know, that’s why I always question my sanity"

"Ok crazy man, bye"

“Bye Sasha. I love you" and he hung up.

Luckily I was home alone, so my mom couldn’t see my blushing face.

_Idiot, you always surprise me that way._

_Now that I think, the other day I told him that I loved him._

I blushed even more.

Halloween’s day finally arrived and I couldn’t be more anxious. I met with the guys at Connie’s place. His cousins would arrive about seven.

"So?" Connie said to Jean, who was in the other side of the table "how we’re going to dress up?"

Jean grinned

"You two" he said “and one of your cousins are going to be zombies and the others are going to be the survivors”

"The Walking Dead style?" I said smiling.

 "Is there another kind?" Jean said

_We four love The Walking Dead. We didn’t lose a chapter of that series._

"Awesome” Connie said "Is there anything you need?"

"I brought everything to makeovers, but we need clothes to dirt up for you guys"

"I think I have something in my room” Connie said thoughtfully "you also need weapons right?"

"Don’t tell me you have toy guns" Jean said smiling

"What child hasn’t Jean?" Connie said proud of himself.

"I also had ones" Marco said "but I donate them because I was too big to play with them"

We all laugh of Marco’s joke

"Y-you never know when you have little cousins, okay?” Connie said ashamed.

"Yeah right" Jean quipped "We best start with your makeup we only have two hours before your cousins arrive and I also have to make up Marco and Sasha"

_And Dean, he also wants to be a zombie._

An hour and a half later, Connie looked like a real zombie.

Jean began to make Marco’s scars. The freckled was chuckling because the brush gave him tickles. The bell of Connie’s house rang

"That must be your cousins” Jean said looking at the clock "but they arrived half an hour before"

“I’ll go" I said getting up from the couch.

It was Mrs. Kirschtein.

"Hi" I said from the doorway.

"I’ll pick him up around ten" she said coldly "don’t let him eat too many candies” she kissed her son's forehead and left.

"Sasha" Dean said looking worry "What if Connie's cousins don’t like me?"

_Why he’s so cute? He’s totally opposite from Jean_

"Dean" I said as I grabbed his backpack "You think there’s someone who doesn’t like you? Plus there’s someone waiting for you"

He looked at me confused and he headed to the kitchen.

"Jean!" he shouts from the door running toward his older brother with his arms outstretched

Confused Jean looked to the kitchen door.

"Dean?" he said leaving the brush aside and lifting his little brother off the ground "You" he said looking me in thanks.

"Me" I said proud for been responsible of hat scene.

"Marco!" Dean said jumping from the arms of his brother to his friend.

Marco received him in the same way that Jean had, giving him a big hug.

_Marco loves Dean, he’s the one who taught him to be nice with the others._

When he finally has his feet on the floor, he looked Connie confused.

"Sup Dean" Connie said from his chair.

"Connie?" he said trying to recognize him behind his zombie makeup.

"No" Connie said kneeling eye level to Dean "Zombie Connie"

"Wow" Dean said touching his face "I want to be a zombie too!"

Connie points Jean

"This as—no, your brother did it, why don’t you ask him?"

Dean sat in the chair across from Jean

"I want to be a zombie" he said excitedly.

"Sasha" Jean said smiling “You don’t mind waiting a little longer, right?"

"Of course not" I said making my way to the fridge "thus I can eat another piece of cake"

Everyone laughed.

"Hey” Connie said "you shouldn’t eat if you want eat candies in a few hours"

I looked him surprised

"Do you doubt the ability of my stomach?"

"I bet you that you’re going to get sick if you keep eating like that" he said smirking

"Is that a challenge?" I said arching a brow

"You betcha" he said

"And what happens if I win?"

He was silent for moment thinking

"If you don’t get sick" he finally said "I’ll take you to a buffet of all you can eat"

_My mom never let me go to one of those_

"Deal" I said shaking his hand.

Half an hour later, Dean, Marco and Connie played cards while Jean makeup on me.

The bell rang.

"I’ll go” Connie said, giving Dean and Marco a chance to look up his cards

Suddenly we could hear a loud cry.

We all fell in silence listening Connie explaining to his little cousin that it was just makeup while his brother was laughing.

Connie appeared with his little cousin sobbing in his arms and her two brothers behind him.

“Guys" Connie said pointing to the little person in his arms “this is Maida" then pointing to the older child "this is Gareth and this is Aiken"

"Hi" the two boys said in unison

"I think Maida should be the other zombie" Connie said "so there would be two pairs of zombies and two of survivors"

“It’s a great idea" Marco said "Dean and Maida go with Jean and me, Connie and Sasha go to Gareth and Aiken"

We all agreed.

Jean ended makeover Maida, which was already much quieter with the idea of being a zombie. The others played cards.

Dean, Gareth and Aiken got along from the start.

About eight o’clock, we were all ready to go for trick or treat.

When Dean took Maida’s hand, despite all the makeup, we could tell he was blushing.

_I think we should get together like this more often._

While asked for sweets, several people make us stop to take photos, either alone or with their children. Others thought we were the parents of the kids.

_I think the makeup hidden well enough the fact that we only sixteen_

After an hour walking, Aiken, the little six years old boy, was exhausted. Connie picked him up and carries him like that all the way home.

_Connie’s going to be a wonderful father_

_Wait_

_I'm already thinking about the possibility of having children with him?_

About half past nine, the only child who remained standing was Gareth. Maida had fallen sleep ten minutes after Aiken. And Dean lost the battle five minutes later.

"I think we should go home" Jean said with Maida in his arms.

"Yeah" Connie said “there we can distribute the candies"

"I won’t give you mine" Gareth said

"I didn’t ask you to do that midget" Connie said sticking out his tongue.

_I think Gareth is the only person that Connie can call midget. For now._

When we get home, we left the kids in the couch, Gareth fell asleep in the moment that he seat.

We distributed the candies so there were the same for the three littlest, but for Gareth was about twenty more because he was the oldest.

Connie and I start eat candies, but his stomach ache make him stop after fifteen minutes.

I stopped a couple of chocolate bars later.

_No, no, no._

_Please stomach, be strong._

_I did this just to go to the buffet._

_Damn you Connie_

Jean and Marco remove Maida and Dean’s makeover while they both slept.

About ten fifteen, the doorbell rang.

_Jean’s mother._

_I can’t move. My stomach hurts so much._

"I’ll go" Jean said as he walked to the door.

"No!" I shout from the couch.

I couldn’t help to him open the door and found his mother on the other side.

_Fuck_

"What are you doing here?" his mother said

"I was going to ask you the same thing" Jean said before throw me a deadly glance

_I think I'm gonna throw up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love write this chapter, finally there's some happy moments!!
> 
> I know what you're thinking "You literally change one letter of Jean's name"  
> BUT, the pronunciation is totally different and that's all it matters to me.
> 
> And yes DeanxMaida is canon :D


	9. Soup and crackers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a proposal, a squeeze and monopoly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this week it's been a crazyness, all I can say is that I disguise like a Dinosaur and I was pursued by kids.

_What I was thinking?_

_I thought that Dean would appear by magic in Connie’s place? He has eight!_

_I was so happy, that I didn't want to think that she brought him_

_Now she is here, in front of me._

"What are you doing here?” She said seriously.

"I was going to ask the same thing" I said when I throw a look at Sasha.

_I'll kill you._

"I came for my son" my mother said

"Your youngest mom, you have two sons" I said angry "Dean is sleeping, I’ll take him home when he wake up"

"No!" she said getting angry "I'll take him now"

She tries to enter but I block her way.

"You won’t wake him up" I said quietly, but fiercely "I’ll take him home when he wakes up"

"I'm his mother" she said

"And I his brother" I replied closing the door "Bye"

_I leave her there._

_I closed the door in her face._

_I’m shaking_

_I could stay away from them, but I'll never stay away from Dean._

 "Sorry Jean, I really wanted you to be together on Halloween" Sasha said sadly

I took her from the arm and raise her, because she couldn’t stand up by her own, and I hug her.

"Don’t apologize gluttonous. We had a great day and no one, not even my mother, can ruin that" I said

"Jean" she said

"Yes?"

"I think I'm gonna puke " said moving away from me and ran to the bathroom.

_This idiot_

"What a way to ruin the moment Sash!" I shout before she entered to the bathroom.

Connie and Marco laughed from the kitchen table.

"I think I win the bet" said Connie triumphant, also achy

"Yeah, but now you both are sick" I said pulling down his mood.

"Worth it" he said wincing between mockery and pain.

"Jean, I think we should go home” Marco said watching the clock "It's almost eleven, and we have to take Dean to his house too"

_Right, now I stay with Marco, I can’t tell Dean a bedtime story._

"Ok" I said "pack our things while I wake Dean”

When I went to the couch where the four children were sleeping, Dean and Maida were still holding hands.

_This little bandit fell in love._

"Connie" I said "come here"

Connie came to the couch and watched the scene.

"Wow" he whisper "your brother is a Casanova, better than you at least"

I hit him in the ribs while I was taking a picture with my phone.

“Do you think they still be able to see each other?” I said

"Why not?” he said “the guys love him, besides they live like ten minutes from here, so _we_ just take Dean to play with them"

"We?" I said, surprised because he wanted the same thing that I

"S-Sure” he said hitting my shoulder "they’re my cousins and you’re my friend, I had a great time today and I think we should get together like this more often"

Wow, Connie has feelings

I put my arm around her shoulders.

"I would love that too, dwarf" I said "whenever I can get Dean out of that house, we will take him"

_I promise._

"I'm going to wake him to go home" I said to Connie while he went to the kitchen to help Marco.

"Dean" I said moving him "hey little monster wake up" he muttered nonsense “Dean, I must take you home"

He half opened his eyes

"I want to stay with the guys" he said scratching his eyes.

"You can’t, but I promise that you will see them in a while"

_If I persuade mom_

I manage him to let go Maida's hand, I put him my jacket and took him in my arms so we could head out

"Marco" I said, trying not to wake Dean "Are you ready?"

"Yeah" replied "Bye Connie"

"Bye Marco, Bye Jean"

"See ya’ Connie, say goodbye to Sasha from us"

"I'll go check if she still alive" he said in a tone of teasing and concern.

We left the Connie’s place about eleven thirty.

"I had fun today" Marco said, putting his arm around my shoulders.

 "We all did" I said smiling.

Suddenly Dean began to awaken.

"You woke him up" Marco said laughing.

Yeah right, I woke him up

"Jean?" my little brother said fitting his head on my neck.

"What’s up Dean?" I said quietly hoping not wake him so much.

"Marco and you are in love?"

_What? How could he tell? It must have been Sasha, that gluttonous gossip._

"How could you tell?" I said after a while.

"You act like Connie and Sasha" Dean said, laughing vaguely.

_How an eight year old boy can notice something like that? At eight I didn’t even know what love was._

 "Why you don’t come home?" he continues "Did you marry Marco and now you live with him?"

There's the innocence I wanted.

"No Dean, I haven’t even married Marco _yet_ " I said looking Marco askance. He was smiling "I went to his house a few days, because Marco is sick and is too much work for his mother to take care of him alone"

 "When are you coming back?" he ask me before falling asleep again

I didn’t answer, because even I knew the answer.

When we got to my house, I asked Marco to take out the keys of my back pocket.

_Did he just do what I think he did?_

"You just...squeeze my butt?" I said confused.

"I'll let you judge it" Marco said before kissing me and put the key in the lock.

_This motherfucker is more pervert than me._

_I love it._

We entered the house and saw my mother sitting on the couch.

"You know what time it is?" she said angry

Twelve o’clock

"I'm leaving Dean to his room and then you can tell me whatever you want, ok?"

She said nothing, just nodded.

I take Dean to his room on the second floor, which is next to mine.

Marco helped me to put him into pajamas and leave him on his bed.

_Marco will be a great father. Of those that teach you to accept others._

_I'm already thinking of him as a father?_

_Something is wrong with me._

I went to my room to get some extra clothes. I found my old walkie-talkie. The one I use when Marco and I played to e soldiers

"Marco?"

"Yeah Jean"

"You still keep yours?" I said raising the walkie-talkie

"Yes" he said "is in my trunk, why?"

_I think I found a way to talk to my brother._

I didn’t answer.

I took a piece of paper and wrote a note to Dean. I attached to the walkie and leave it under my brother’s pillow

_Dean, this walkie is going to be our way to talk, don’t show it mom._

_It will be our secret._

_If you are bored, lonely, or you just want to talk, I'll always be waiting on the other side._

_Love, Jean._

Marco smiled.

We went to the living room to confront my mother.

"Well" I said, sitting in the armchair in front of her "go ahead"

"Jean, I want to talk to you, alone" she said looking Marco with contempt.

"If you want to talk to me, Marco stays" I said decided.

"Okay" she said

_She’s exhausted. You can tell that she hasn’t slept well._

"Jean" she continue "I want you to come home"

"What?" I said looking Marco confused.

"I want you back" she said "your dad and I realized that just because you’re  ... gay, doesn’t mean you can’t live with us"

_Are you serious?_

"What about Marco?" I said taking his hand "you now I won’t leave him, even if you let me back here, right?"

"Jean” my mother said "for the sake of Dean, I think you shouldn’t spend too much time with Marco, he would feel confused and uncomfortable"

_I knew it was too good to be true._

_They want to blackmail me with Dean to get away from Marco_

_If Dean wouldn’t have spoken the way home, there is a big possibility that I would have thought about it._

_I love Marco, but I need to protect my brother from my parents._

"Mom" I said "Dean already knows, in fact he asks me if I had married Marco and if that was the reason why I had left home"

She looked at me surprised.

"If that's all you wanted to say, I’m going" I said getting up and taking Marco to the door

"Jean" my mother said with tears in her eyes "I want you back, but I can’t accept that you're with a man, there are so beautiful girls out there, like Sasha, why you aren’t her boyfriend?"

_She always wanted Sasha to be mi girlfriend._

_I’ll come back to this house when she accepts that I love my best friend._

I look her to the eyes and said

"I’ll come to visit Dean in a few days, I will take him to Connie’s cousins house, you should be glad that he likes a girl, he could be your pride now"

And I left there, holding Marco’s hand.

_I don’t have to cry._

I actually thought that she would accept me, but they only want Dean to stop asking so many questions about.

Marco and I got home, his mother was sleeping. We went to Marco's room, we fell on his bed and I start to cry.

Marco didn’t say anything, he just hug me. Like the day I came here.

_I could stay this way forever._

_Without worrying about what others say._

The next morning, Marco wasn’t at my side.

_What time is it? I know its Saturday. I must get up._

_Where is Marco?_

_What is that noise?_

Suddenly heard as the walkie emitted a horrible static noise

"J-Jean are you there?" a voice was heard came out of it.

_Dean_

I take it as fast as I could. It was 9:55 am.

"Dean" I said, glad that my mother hasn’t seen it before him "How are you?"

“Fine" he said nervously

"Dean" I said moving closer to the walkie as I had done it with him "What's wrong?"

"My parents aren’t here" he finally said

They left him alone, how they could do that? He has eight!

"Dean" I said hiding my anger "would you like visit Connie?"

"Yes!" I said excitedly.

"I'll be there in five minutes" I said as I put my jacket "get dress"

"Okay" he said ending the static of the walkie-talkie

"Marco!" I said as I dialed the phone to call Connie

His cousins are there and Sasha surely too, last night she wasn't in a good condition to leave.

"What?" Marco said from the door

"Would you join me to Connie’s place?" I said waiting on the phone

"Yes of course, but why?"

I couldn’t answer.

"What’s up Kirschtein?" Connie said from the other side of the phone with a tired voice.

"Dwarf, can I go to your house with Dean and Marco?"

"Yes of course, but" he said in a wavering tone "Why you want to come?"

"I'll tell you when I get there" I said seriously

"Ok, see you" he said before a big moan was heard.

_I'm glad he understands when I'm serious._

"Bye" I said and turn Marco "my parents left Dean alone"

"Come on!" he said before asking why I know that

We went home. Dean was already in the kitchen waiting for us.

_Why I was so scared?_

_Dean is literally ten feet away._

_Why I thought something would happen to him?_

_Surely when he woke up he didn’t found anybody and he spoke me to the walkie._

"Jean" he said running up to me "Thanks for the walkie-talkie"

"Your welcome little man" I said patting his head "Let's go Connie’s house"

"Ok" he said excitedly.

When we where Connie, we heard an unnatural groan from inside.

It must be Sasha.

I ring the bell.

We were greeted by the Connie’s mother.

"Hey guys" he said, opening the door "Come in"

"Thanks" I said with Dean by y hand and Marco behind us

In the couch, Connie and Sasha were sharing a blanket

These couples of idiots are worse than I thought.

Gareth, Aiken and Maida played Monopoly on the kitchen table.

Dean let go of my hand before I could notice and sat next to Maida, giving her a small smile.

That demon

"You guys are all right?" I listen Marco asks to Connie and Sasha, who were writhing on the couch.

"Freckled Jesus” Sasha said "do you think you could give me something to eat besides these damn crackers?"

I laughed

"That’s what happens to you for being a couple of wolverines" I said "well, plus being idiots"

"It isn’t funny horse face” Connie said wincing in pain "Now tell me, why you came?"

"Dean was home alone and like I knew you were here, I decided to bring him" I look askance to my brother and his new friends, who were laughing in the kitchen "besides the fact that Dean being able to see the boys and Maida" I said raising my eyebrows suggestively.

Connie looked at the kitchen and making a great effort he laughed.

"Guys" Connie’s mother said "Do you think you could deal with this pair of gluttons and the kids while I go buy some food?"

"Sure" I said "don’t worry"

"Thanks dear" she said as she put on her coat and left.

"I'm going to make some soup" Marco said approaching two sick "any special flavor?"

"No" Sasha said “I just want to stop eating these stupid crackers that doesn’t taste like anything"

"You know you don’t have to eat all the time, right?" Connie said smiling.

"Never say that to me Connie" Sasha said trying to look serious.

We all laughed.

While Marco was making the soup, I went to see the kids who were sitting at the table engrossed in their game.

_It's amazing how this game has lasted so long._

_I remember that Marco and I always played._

_He always won, I got mad and I stop playing, but one way or another he always convinced me to keep playing._

"You wanna play?" Gareth said pointing to the chair beside him.

"Ok" I said "but I’ll be the bank"

"Okay" they all said at once.

_I don’t know if they let me because I’m the oldest or because no one likes to be the bank._

_I'll stay with the first._

As we played, Marco joined us. Connie and Sasha had been knocked out by the medicines.

After a while, everyone had bought property and I own them all.

_How it’s possible that some kids are gaining me?_

_By Marco doesn’t surprise me, but Aiken?_

_He has six! He shouldn’t even know how to play this._

_I suck at games. Ask me to play football or volleyball, but chess or cards, you can rest assured that I’ll lose._

We kept playing until Connie's mother arrived with food.

We disarm the game, I did with more enthusiasm than the others and we all ate at the table.

They were most of the time making fun of me and how I don’t know play.

About three in the afternoon, we were preparing to leave.

We try to awaken Connie and Sasha, but it was impossible.

"Gareth, Dean" I said looking at the fallen in action "bring pens"

They obeyed.

We draw on their faces

While Connie's mother laughed, Marco and Maida told us what we should write.

We left Connie with a cute mustache, a unique eyebrow and “dopey” write in his forehead

_I had written something like "asshole" or "moron", but I mustn’t corrupt the minds of these kids_

_For now_

Sasha was left with multiple doodles of food, lens and “gourmand” write on the forehead.

We went home. Dean was between Marco and me, holding our hands

_This feeling will remain forever in my heart._

When we were close of coming, I saw my parent’s car parked outside the house.

_God_

_Why every small moment of happiness that I have since I left is ruined by them?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like it, Jean's mother really love him, but she doesn't do a great job proving it
> 
> [Sasha and Connie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKjDs6Wbjjc)


	10. Milk and cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a parish, a punch and gingerbread man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok people, we are in the final stretch, only a month and this ends, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my little heart,for the kudos and the coments, someone offered to draw one of the scenes (I hope you see this so you can post it in my tumblr)
> 
> I know this doesn't matter so just continue while I cry in a corner

_Jean's parents arrived_

We three were holding hands and I could notice Jean’s expression when he saw the car.

My heart stopped.

_This is the time I had been waiting since Jean came to stay at my house._

_I have to be able to act this time._

_I can't be frightened and be silent like the last times._

"Marco" Jean said with the expression of someone who was prepared to go to war. Cold eyes, but at the same time with an unspeakable horror

"Yes?"

"Go home. I’ll catch you up later"

"No" I said decided "I won’t leave you alone, not again"

We reached the door. Jean sighed and pulled the keys from his pocket.

"Ready?" he said deadpan

"Always" I replied with a small smile

"Yeah" Dean said squeezing my hand.

When we entered, Mrs. Kirschtein ran to her little son and hugged him.

"My sweetheart" she said before looking us with contempt "Why did you take him?"

"Dean" Jean said, clenching his fists “go to your room, I must talk to our parents"

"Ok" Dean said with a guilty face.

"Why did you leave him alone?" Jean said when he heard Dean’s door close

"We went to the parish" said the father of Jean.

"And why you didn’t take him with you?" Jean said

Neither of them said a word

"Answer the question!" He said angrily

"We went to talk to the pastor Nick" said his mother

_What?_

_Why did they talk to him?_

Pastor Nick is a tall man, advanced in age, who used to be an alcoholic.

About ten years ago in an accident caused by his addiction, he lost his wife and daughter.

Since then, he left the drink and he was devoted to religion, he preach dutifully and stubborn

_I really don’t understand how he became pastor after been known as the town drunk._

"And why you went to talk with that old alcoholic?" Jean said getting angrier.

"We wanted a guide to help us overcome what we are going through" Jean’s father said

" _What are you going through_?” Jean said before understanding what his father meant "are telling me that left my eight year old brother to talk about something that everyone knows and no one seems to bother except you two?”

"Jean" his mother said "you don’t understand, no one looks at us with respect anymore, now we’re the ones raised a gay son"

Jean laughed coldly

"Wow" he said looking at his parents' eyes, "I thought you were smart, intelligent but now I realize what they really are: Cowards. Fucking babies”

"Jean" I said putting my hand on his shoulder.

His father threw himself to punch him

Before he could do so, I got in front of Jean and received the blow full on the mouth

_I won’t let him punch Jean again_

"Marco!" Jean said as he knelt beside me

"M -Marco" Jean's father said looking at his fist, knowing what he had done "I don’t wanted to…I-I, it was for Jean. I’m sorry"

"No Mr. Kirschtein" I said wiping my mouth with my sleeve "I won’t let you touch Jean again. I'll be sure to receive every punch"

_I'm serious._

"Marco" his mother said as she extended her hand to me "let me help you”

"I won’t let you touch him" Jean said as he helped me stand. He look at his father "You can beat me, I deserve it, but if I hear you hit Dean, I'll take care that none of you see him again"

And we went from there.

"You didn’t have to be a hero" Jean said touching my mouth with his forefinger.

"I meant it" I said with a wince

"Yes" he said looking at the sky "me too"

When we got home, my mom cleaned my wound.

Luckily we convince her not get Mr. Kirschtein teeth.

"Now you had a beautiful scar" Jean said while we were on the couch.

"Aahh, what is your obsession with my wound?" I said removing his finger from my split lip.

"Ah? I-I don’t know, I think I still can’t believe you to receive that punch for me"

"You did the same when your mother want slap me" I said as he pounded his shoulder "I don’t owe you anything now"

"Yeah" he said, staring at nothing.

"Jean" I said worried "he will be fine, don’t worry"

"I know" he said trying to smile.

Two weeks later, Sasha and Connie were fine almost completely. Even Sasha had tried to convince him to go to a buffet “all you can eat”, saying she wanted to erase the taste crackers of her mouth.

"She never learns" Jean said

"I know" I said "someday, she'll manage to convince us to take her and I'll fear for our lives"

Jean laughed.

_I love his laugh._

A month after Christmas, my lip was normal size, only with a scar of a centimeter wide.

That day, something strange happened.

Jean received a message from his mother.

"Marco" Jean said to me, surprised "look"

He showed me the message from his mother.

**Jean, how is Marco?**

_What?_

_This must be the first time she talks to Jean._

_And the first time she asks for me._

"Answer" I said

"What did I say? That you were two weeks with toad lips and now you have a scar?" He said a little angry

"Just say _good thanks for asking_ " I said trying to take his phone.

"I won’t text her that" Jean said as he wrote as a response to his mother.

The next two weeks were so. Jean getting messages from its mother like:

**Have you talked to Dean?**

**How are your classes?**

**Marco's mother is ok? She must be exhausted to clean up your mess**

And the most recent

**Where are you going to spend Christmas?**

To be honest, Jean and I hadn’t really thought much about it, as always, we were going to have dinner with my mother in Christmas Eve and go to Connie's house for Christmas.

"You think I should invite them?" Jean said looking at his phone "I mean, to Connie's house. I'll take Dean anyway, but I hadn’t thought about my parents"

"Jean" I said putting my hand on his shoulder "I think you should invite them, it has been almost three months since you came here"

How quickly time passes, three months ago that Jean and I are dating.

"Do you want me to leave?" he said a little sad.

"No" I said "but I would like you to fix things with your parents, and brothers doesn’t suppose to speak by walkies”

"Okay" he said defeated and sending a message to his mother.

**I wanted to take Dean to Connie’s place.**

**Oh** his mother answer

If you want, and if Connie can, you can join us.

"This is bullshit" Jean said when his mother didn’t replied "I knew it was a bad idea"

Before I could say anything, I heard my mother calling from the first floor.

"Jean, Marco's someone is looking for you!"

"We’re coming!” I said “Connie and Sasha?”

"Maybe they want to talk about the food we’ll serve in Christmas" Jean said in mockery

Downstairs, we find Jean’s parents talking to my mother.

"What are you doing here?" Jean said with his eyes wide open

"Hi Jean" his father said "we wanted to answer your question in person and we were talking about that Clara"

"Jean" her mother said with a smile that we hadn’t seen in over three months "we'd love spend Christmas with you, if is that what you want”

Jean and I looked surprised to the friendly attitude of his parents

What is going on here?

Well, it's great to be quiet at last.

But it's really strange to see them like this.

"Ok" Jean said incredulous by the scene "What happens to you two?"

"Jean" his father said getting up and going to him.

_He’s hugging Jean_

"I’m so sorry" he said as tears began to fall from his eyes.

Jean and I, even my mother stayed frozen.

This is getting increasingly weird.

"I was an idiot” his father continued when he pulled away from Jean "Jean come back home, please"

"Dad, what happened to you?" Jean said confused

"Jean" his mother said "after what happened with Marco, your father and I realized that this had gone too far. We don’t want to lose you as a son. You're wonderful just as you are"

"What about Marco?" Jean said incredulously "you’ll still try to get him away from me?”

"Look" his father said "recently we had to learn something in the worst way possible: you can love whoever you fucking want, no one, even your mom or I can avoid it"

_I must be dreaming._

_Come on brain._

_Why you’re playing with me?_

"Jean" his mother said with glassy eyes "please forgive us"

_This is the first time I hear her apologize to Jean in a really sincere way._

"Forgive us for wanting to get you away from Marco" she continues "forgive us to take you away from Dean. Well, forgive us for everything”

All he did was hug his parents

_He’s crying, but not of sadness or disappointment as the last times._

_He’s crying of happiness._

_This is a Christmas miracle._

_Two weeks earlier._

“I'm glad you have contented” my mother said with tears of joy in her eyes.

I think I'm the only one not crying

Actually I think it's a dream and I’ll awake at any time.

"Yes" said Jean drying their tears ashamed

"Marco" Jean's father said as he stretched his hand towards me "come here"

I approached cautiously and shook his hand.

He pulls of my arm and he joined me to the hug.

_Now I'm sure it's a dream._

_Here in the middle of Jean and his parents._

_It must be a dream._

"Sorry Marco" Mrs. Kirschtein said when we pull apart

"It doesn’t matter ma’am, I'm glad things have settled"

"It's a Christmas miracle" my mother said

"Two weeks before," Jean said

_We think the same._

Jean returned home the same night.

From my room I could hear Dean screaming in joy

_Everything is as it should be._

Two weeks later, on Christmas, we were in Mr. Kirschtein’s car way to Connie's place

There were his little cousins, Sasha and his mother.

"Springer" Jean shout from the door, holding my hand "I brought my parents, it doesn’t matter, right?"

"Of course not" Connie said understanding what happened "the more the better. Come on in"

"Thanks" Jean’s parents said

We introduce them to Gareth, Aiken and Maida, their youngest son’s love.

"She's cute" her mother said to Dean

Dean blushed, hoping Maida didn’t hear what his mother had said. He went off to play with his friends.

"Hello" said Sasha with a Christmas sweater, the kind that no one buys, you always give away "I'm glad you're here Messrs Kirschtein"

"Thank you dear" Mrs. Kirschtein said "Connie is your boyfriend?"

"Yes," Sasha said with a pink hue on her cheeks.

"The adults are in the kitchen, drinking" Connie said with a tray of cookies and milk.

"Thanks Connie” my mom said smiling

Our parents went to the kitchen leaving us alone in the living room.

When we tell Connie and Sasha what happened two weeks ago, they were just as confused as us.

"It's awesome dude" Connie said with a big grin

"Yes, it was time to settle" Sasha said stuffing her mouth with gingerbread men.

"I know" Jean said, squeezing my hand "By the way, Sash"

"Yes?" Sasha said looking at him

"Where'd you get that awful sweater?" He laughed

Sasha started laughing and Connie frowned.

_I think Connie give it to her._

Before she could answer, we heard Gareth screaming

"You must do it Dean! Those are the rules"

All could see that Dean and Maida were under mistletoe.

"Oh my god " Jean said while laughing

"We have to photograph this" Sasha said pulling out her phone from her pocket.

Maida and Dean were red as tomatoes, and they hadn’t even kissed yet

"Dean" I got up from my seat and whispered in his ear what to do.

Dean did it

He took Maida's hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek, making her blush more than he already was.

"Aww" we all said

"Dean and Maida are dating!" Gareth said in mockery

"At least I have a girlfriend!" Dean said still holding Maida’s hand "if you want" he hissed to Maida

"I have to ask my mommy" Maida said taking Dean to the kitchen.

When they returned, they were both with big smiles in their little red faces

"They said yes" Dean said.

_This is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life._

The youngsters were knocked out by the warm milk and cookies around nine o’clock. The guys and I were talking in the living room couch while our parents were still in the kitchen.

"Jean, Marco" Sasha said pointing up "look".

Mistletoe, are you kidding me?

"Ok Boldt" Jean said licking his lips in an exaggerated way "come here" as he took my head forcing me to approach him

_Oh god no_

_I love him, but don’t want all his saliva on my face._

"Jean" I said laughing and pushing his chest "don’t”

"Auch" Connie said laughing "You're disgusting even to your boyfriend, Kirschtein"

Jean let me go and dry lips with his sleeve, pouting

"Jean" I said taking his face in my hands and kissing him.

_Sorry Jean, but I wanted to be the one who kiss you._

_If I not, It’ll still seem a dream._

 "Merry Christmas, Jean” I said when we parted.

"Aww" Connie and Sasha said while he was blushing.

"Merry Christmas, assholes" Jean said hugging all three.

"Merry Christmas horse face" Sasha said, laughing.

We left Springer’s house near twelve o'clock, Jean had his brother in arms and we headed to the Mr. Kirschtein’s car

Along the way, Jean took my hand and none of our parents seem to mind.

I said goodbye to Jean, who after three months, sleep in his own home.

_It will be strange not have him home, they were three months after all, but at least he’s happy._

_In just one week it will be New Year._

_I can’t wait to start another year with Jean._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES! I can finally say that Jean's parents are not so bad T.T
> 
> From now on the last four chapters, will only be POV of Connie or Sasha, because this story is 85% Springles! (I've to be realistic, I put a lot Jean Marco on this)
> 
> I hope you liked it (I know it's late, but I think I'll amputate my hurt pinky)


	11. Champagne and Grapes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with grandma's money, underwear and turkey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connie is sometimes sweet and then he go back to normal and be a dork again
> 
> (Sorry for the delay, I'm lazy as fuck)

_What time is it?_

_It smells like cookies._

_This is…hair?_

 

I woke up the day after Christmas, all was quiet.

 

_My cousins are sleeping in my room and I’m sleeping on the couch with Sasha._

_Sasha?!_

_Why am I sleeping with her?_

 

I was lying on the couch, Sasha had her head and hand on my chest, my arm was around her waist and our legs were intertwined.

 

I felt my face redden.

 

_What do I do?_

_I can’t move._

_Good time for me want to go to the bathroom._

 

"Sash" I whispered as I moved her shoulder "wake up"

 

It was 8:30

 

She started to move and stretch

 

Her eyes met mine when she awoke.

 

"Connie?" she said focusing her eyes and realizing of our situation “why I’m literally on top of you?"

 

"I don’t know" I said "but I need you to move away"

 

"Why?" she said hugging me and looking at the clock "it’s too early, I want to keep sleeping"

 

_My bladder_

_I think I'll explode._

"Sasha" I said trying to speak as subtle as I could "if you don’t want me to pee on you, let me go"

 

She let me go quickly

 

"You're a pig, go fast!"

 

"Be right back" I said running to the bath

 

_Aahh_

_This feels so good. I never had to endure so much_

_How much milk I drank last night, 5 liters?_

_It’s like I hadn’t pee in ages._

 

When I left the bathroom, I went back to the couch.

 

Sasha was already asleep.

 

_I had never slept with her before._

_She looks pretty, quiet, without eating anything._

_I must look like a psychopath staring her this way._

I put a blanket over her, I lift her head while I sit and put it on my lap, falling asleep within minutes.

 

We were woken up at ten in the morning by the delicious smell of eggs and toast.

 

"Connie" I managed to hear before I needed air

 

"Aahg" I said removing Sasha’s fingers that were pressing my nose "why did you do that?"

 

She tried to contain her laugh

 

"I have to" she said before kissing me, like saying good morning "Let's eat"

 

She took my hand and we went to the kitchen.

 

We had breakfast with my mother. My uncles had gone about two in the morning.

 

My mom didn’t want to wake my cousins so she left them some cookies and milk from last night.

 

"So?" my mother said "You got what you wanted?"

 

_Well, I got a pair of headphones, trousers (two or three sizes bigger, thanks Jean I know you did it on purpose), my always loyal grandma’s money..._

_And a kiss from Sasha_

_I think it was better than anything I could ask for._

 

"Yes" I said before taking Sasha's hand under the table "I have everything that I wanted and more"

 

"That’s good" my mom said smiling "now that I think where we’re going to spend New Year? Your uncles are going to travel so we could stay here and invite the guys"

 

"Actually" Sasha said drinking an orange juice "my mom asked me to invite you to spend New Year at my house.  We’ll make a dinner and everything, so if you don’t mind Mrs. Springer"

 

_New Year_

_It will be amazing, not only for the dinner, but to be with my favorite assholes and our parents._

 

"Wonderful" my mom said "I'll bring a little something to receive the year properly"

 

Sasha and my cousins left around two in the afternoon.

 

About four o'clock, I received a message from Jean

 

**Hey Springer, you know where you will spend New Year?**

**Yes, Sasha invites us to her place**

**Her mom’s going to cook?**

**Yeah**

**I'm in, your cousins will go?**

 

_Surely he asks for Dean. He couldn’t resist Springer’s charm._

**No, they will travel and come back in a few days**

**Oh :\**

**Tell Dean I’m sorry :'(**

**That midget will suffer without Maida**

**He will get over it, he's a Kirschtein, we're strong as rocks**

**Yeaah, like rocks... remember that time when you were stung by a bee?**

**I was ten! And that fucking bee stung me in the face**

**Easy dude, I’m just saying**

**Moving on, what time we should be at Sasha’s house?**

 

_Subtle change of subject Jean_

**It's a diner, so about eight.**

**Ok, I'll see you in a few days dwarf**

**Bye Jean**

 

Nearly seven, in those programs that are only watch by mothers, were giving tips of how to start the year:

 

Hug someone of the opposite sex to get lucky in love.

 

_That’s bullshit._

 

Give yellow underwear for money and red for passion.

 

_Ok that's weird_

 

A ring in a cup for engagements

_Mmm_

_Nah_

_That will be for a few years._

Twelve grapes: with each chime eat a grape and make a wish for the New Year.

 

_Sasha would like that, two things she loves: eat and make wishes._

 

"Mom" I said trying to get the attention of my mother, who wrote down everything what the program said

 

"Yes dear?" she said as she continued writing

 

"Do you think we could do the grape’s thing?"

 

"You want to do that with Sasha?"

 

_Hell, why do you know me so much?_

 

"Yes" I said embarrassed

 

"Then I’ll buy a kilo of grapes" she said with a little smile

 

"Thanks" I said going to my room, I couldn’t stand the TV trash anymore. I also had to think about my wishes

_What could I ask for?_

_Grow?_

_No, I must ask something possible_

_Aahg_

_I can’t think of anything._

_I should talk to Sasha, she always inspired me._

 

When I called her, apparently, she was eating.

 

_It’s Sasha, what else did I expect?_

 

"Hello?" she said with his mouth full.

 

"Do you have a moment to speak of the Lord?" I said with a nasal voice

 

"Connie" serious said "you know I have you in my contacts, right?"

 

_Shit_

 

"Killjoy" I said "you could have told me you were an atheist or something like that"

 

"Ok, why you called" She said with a chuckle

 

_I just wanted to talk to you because you inspire me_

 

"I wanted to tell you that you should prepare twelve wishes for New Year"

 

"What?" she said “twelve? Why twelve?”

 

"Just do it, will you? It will favor you"

 

"Ok! Jeez"

 

We talked for a few hours, and I had at least three wishes ready

 

"Connie, I gotta go, bye" and before I could answer she said "I love you"

 

And she hung up.

_Four wishes_

 

_Well, she knows how to get a good revenge._

 

On day 31th, after buying everything we needed, my mother and I went to Sasha’s place

 

_I can’t believe she gave me yellow underwear._

_That she forced me to use it._

_And she bought one to Sasha._

 

“I won’t going to give it to her” I said with the bag in hand

 

"If you want Sasha had good luck, you should do it" she said as he watched the road.

 

"I'd rather to she had bad luck than give her _this_ " I said pointing to the bag

 

"If you don’t give it to her" she said looking at me while we were in the red "I will and I’ll say that you picked it"

 

_What do I do?_

_I’ll be humiliated anyway._

_No way out_

"Okay" I said resignedly "I will give it"

 

We arrived about seven o'clock. Jean had sent me a message that already were on their way, so I would give it time to Sasha.

 

I greet Mrs. Braus and my mother went with her to the kitchen to help her with the dinner.

 

"Hi baby" I said kissing Sasha

 

"Hi honey" she said blushing slightly.

 

"I have something for you" I said with the bag in my hand "it was my mother's idea, she saw one of those stupid TV shows and ... well it’s a---Look" will pass the bag.

 

When Sasha saw the content of the bag she blushed even more than me.

 

"You want me to wear _this_?" Sasha said, eyes fixed on the bag

 

"N-no! Well yes, it was my mother's idea and I don’t know"

 

"Do you also have one?"

_What?_

 

"Ye-Yeah" I said, getting off the corner of my pants noting my yellow boxers.

 

"Be right back" she said going to her room.

 

_She is gonna wear it?_

_That’s sweet._

_But somehow it still disturbs me._

 

She arrive after a while still blushing.

 

"Did you put it on?" I ask

 

_Why I ask that?_

 

_What else would she have done her room?_

 

Sasha looked at me and made the same gesture I did earlier, noting the edge of her panties.

 

It was my turn to blush.

 

_It's not as if I had never seen anyone in lingerie._

_But is Sasha_

_This must be how she felt when I did it._

"Cute" I said

 

_Really?! Cute?!_

_I'm a pervert_

Sasha giggled

 

"Thanks" she said

 

At that time Jean arrived with his parents, Dean and Marco

 

The guys stayed with us in the living room watching TV while our parents tidied the table and helped Sasha’s mother

 

"We're lazy as shit" Jean said lying on the couch with his arms around Marco and Dean

 

"Jean!" his mother shouted from the kitchen "watch your language!"

 

Everyone, except Jean, laughed. He put his face on Marco’s shoulder

 

Dean forced us to watch a Christmas special of his favorite show.

 

The repeated although it has already been a week since Christmas.

 

At first no one wanted to, but gradually we were concerned, it was fun actually.

 

"It wasn’t a good idea" Dean said with the remote control on his hand "I've seen it three times this week and I already know what happens, I will put something else"

 

"NO!" said the "biggest ones” in unison while Jean took away the control to his brother.

 

_We are more immature than an eight year old boy_

 

About eight o'clock, when the program was over, our parents called us for dinner.

 

It was a beautiful stuffed turkey and various salads.

 

Throughout the conversation, our parents mentioned the fact that we all were in couples

 

Less Dean, he was depressed by Maida’s absence

 

Following that, Jean, as always, said one of his ironic comments.

 

"Hey dwarf" he said as I gave a big bite of turkey that I had on my plate "What will you do with all the porn on your computer? Since now you have Sasha"

 

Everyone laughed, even Sasha, who was looking at me blushing.

 

"Jean" his mother said trying to hide her giggling

 

I choke

 

_What?_

_How do you know?_

_Rather what does he mean by “now I have Sasha”?_

_Oh_

I couldn’t stop coughing, the turkey had been in my throat and I couldn’t breathe.

 

"Dwarf" Jean said stroking my back while the turkey makes his way down through my throat

 

"Damn you horse face" I said when I finally could breathe.

 

"I saved your life, in New Year!" Jean said with his hand still on my back "you owe me a big one Springer"

 

"If you hadn’t been an idiot I wouldn’t have chocked" I said hitting his ribs.

 

"Connie" my mother said with a chuckle "you shouldn’t have that kind of stuff on your computer. Your cousins use it when they come here"

 

"Mom is a folder with passwo-- I mean...I don’t know what you're talking about"

 

Everyone laughed even harder, less Dean, luckily he still didn’t understand much about these things.

 

_Dean, keep being like this for the next twenty years._

 

ALL the food was finish about eleven.

 

_I can’t believe we have been able to eat all that and Sasha’s still hungry._

_In an hour we will have to eat twelve grapes, I hope I can make it._

_Jean and Marco already know they have to make wishes._

 

The time we had to spare, we spend it helping Sasha’s mother to clean the dishes and sort the courtyard for receive the year under the stars.

 

_It will be perfect._

 

Dean fell asleep on the couch.

 

“You think we should wake him up at midnight” Jean said as he covered his brother with his jacket.

 

"I think so" I said as I put the grapes on a platter "I don’t like to be left aside in New Year, plus, after the toast he can go back to sleep”

 

"You're right" he said as turned to me "by the way, what are you going to wish?"

 

_He mustn’t have to know_

 

"Ha" I laughed "like if I going to tell you, Kirschtein"

 

"Come on!" he said pouting "Tell me"

 

"You look like Maida when she asked me to take her piggyback, Jean" I said as I walked out to the courtyard.

 

"You’ll start this year with a black eye Springer!" he shouts from the living.

 

Ten minutes to twelve, Jean's parents awakened their little son; my mother had already divided the pineapple ice cream in cups so we could fill them with champagne later.

 

Five to twelve and we were on the courtyard, we Dean was a little grumpy on Jean’s arms

 

"Who would you give your first hug?" I told Jean

 

"I don’t know" he said "Dean?"

 

"I’ll allow you to give the first hug to Sasha" I said seriously and a little jealous

 

"I’ll do my best to not obscure your first hug to her" Jean said mockingly.

 

One minute we were already preparing for the New Year.

_It has been a great year._

_I met Sasha._

_That's the best thing that ever happened to me after meeting Jean and Marco._

 

The countdown

 

_Why my stomach turns?_

_They are only ten seconds to a new year._

Twelve o’clock came and I hugged my mother, I said I love you and kiss her on the cheek.

Then I went to Sasha, I had the plate with the twenty four grapes for the wishes, I kiss her before the first bell rang.

 

Clang

 

_Waking up every day at her side_

 

Clang

 

_Have breakfast with her_

 

Clang

 

_Make her blush when I kiss her_

 

Clang

 

_Say “I love you” as much as I can_

 

Clang

 

_She saying “I love you”_

 

Clang

 

_A good future to horse face and Marco_

 

Clang

 

_Pass math_

 

Clang

 

_Sasha always being my partner in crime_

 

In milliseconds I had for the next clang, I looked up the bowl of grapes and saw Jean and Marco. They were feeding each other with the grapes while they were making their wishes

 

Clang

 

_Remain friends with these assholes_

 

I look around me, my mom talked with Jean’s parents and Sasha’s mother.

 

Dean was asleep in the lawn chair.

 

Sasha was in front of me with her eyes closed and with a grape in her mouth.

 

Clang

 

_Every year being equally perfect like this._

 

And just like that, it had been a minute of New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know New Year have been 4 months ago, but I don't care, I needed this chapter so do you.
> 
> [This mothefu*** is Connie irl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHsS-LbtclI)


	12. Marshmallows and hot chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a invitation, shopping and cameras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For me today is Wednesday, I'm in time with the chapter and I have nothing to regret. 
> 
> Okno 
> 
> Sorry! The delay is because my elbow really hurts (I have something very similar to tendinitis, and I think one of the reasons is to write on the computer... hehehe, shit happens) and believe me, editing a chapter with one hand is HARD.

_It has been two weeks since New Year_

_And three months since I've been with Connie_

_Should I give him something?_

_I could make a cake, cupcakes or cookies or candy or..._

_Aahg_

_Thinking on food made me hungry._

Before I could stand up to go get something to eat, I received a call from Marco.

"Hi Freckled Jesus" I said from my bed.

"Hi Sash" Marco said with a loving voice

"What's up?"

"We wanted to invite you to a trip for ski in the mountains"

"That would be great, but isn't it too expensive?"

"That's the good thing" he said enthusiastic "Jean's father, in a work draw, won four passes to a hotel and we will stay there for a week FOR FREE!"

"Wow, that's amazing" I said sharing the enthusiasm, "but wait, if Jean's father won, why you're calling me instead of that horse face?"

"He's too lazy" Marco said "plus, he went to the bathroom and I think it's going to be for a long time, cause he took his phone"

I overheard Jean's voice screaming in the background and Marco's giggling

"Marco! ...Jean no!…Aahh! ...You bastard!"

"Guys" I laughed "the invitation?"

"Sorry Sasha" Jean said with Marco's laugh in the back round

"We also called to ask you to call Connie to inform him"

"Ok Jean" I said "I hope you haven't killed Marco"

"Not yet," he said "I'll send you a message with the details later, bye"

"Bye, Jean"

After hanging up, I decided to go down to the kitchen for a snack, to satisfy my hunger. While I was making a sandwich, I receive Jean's message.

I dialed Connie, giving a big bite to my tuna sandwich.

"Hey babe" he answer

_It's amazing how much I like he call me that._

_It makes me feel warm in the stomach._

_Focus Braus._

"Hi honey," I said "I 'm calling on behalf of Jean"

"That horse face," he said confused "what do he want?"

"He called me saying that he broke up with Marco" I said with a sad tone

"What" he said shocked "Why?"

"He said he couldn't lie any longer" I continued "he said he loves you and he wants to be with you"

Connie didn't say anything for a moment

_I had to, it was the perfect time._

"I hate you" he shouted, breaking my eardrums "I almost got in a heart attack!"

I couldn't contain my laughter

"Sorry," I said, "it was the perfect opportunity! Besides, that should teach you how to make a real phone's prank"

"What do you want? Seriously" he said angrily.

"First, your voice sounds very sexy when you're angry" I joked

_Well, it's true at some point_

"Second, Jean, well, his father, invite us to the mountains to ski, a hotel and the best part FOR FREE!"

"Are you serious?" he said "That's awesome, when?"

"According to his text" I said checking my phone "next week"

"I'm in!" Connie said very enthusiastic

"Great," I said "but I need you to come with me to buy snow clothes"

"When you want to go?"

"Are you free on Saturday?" I said looking at the calendar "we'll go on Tuesday of next week"

"Okay I'll see you then, bye"

"Goodbye" said

Before hang up, Connie said

"Sasha"

"Yes?" I said approaching the phone to my ear

"I love you" he said, but, this time, he didn't hang up before I could answer.

"Love you too, Connie" I said with a stupid smile on my face

"Ha Ha" he quipped "I know, why wouldn't you?"

_Yeah, why wouldn't I?_

"I don't know" I said "because you are smaller, crazy and asshole than any other"

"Tch, thanks babe, did you hear that?" he said with a sad tone "it was the sound of my heart breaking"

"You know it's a joke baldy, see ya"

"Ok" he laughed "bye"

On Saturday of that week, I gather with Connie at the mall.

I put the shirt he had given to me three months ago

_Despite having washed, it still has his odor._

"Hi Sash" he said with a kiss

"Hi Connie" I said smiling

He realized that I was wearing his shirt.

"Do you still have that thing?" he said surprised with a pink tint on his cheeks.

"Why I wouldn't?" I said "besides, it looks better on me than you"

He smiled

"Yeah," he finally said taking my hand and started walking "and what are you going to buy?"

"Mmm, a jacket and boots" I said

"Do you have sweaters?" he said, looking at the store windows that were left behind in our walk.

"I have some, why?"

"Because I have a pair that I don't use anymore" he cleared his throat and said, "and I wanted to give them to you"

"Okay" I said tightening his hand to call his attention "but I'll buy something you today, you have given me enough clothes"

"It's not necessary" he said

"Unless you want one of my girl t-shirts" I smiled

"Okay," he said "you convinced me"

Despite what anyone thinks of women in the mall, we stay too long in the stores to finally buy nothing

I'm not like that.

"I hate shopping" I said as we walked looking for the sports shop.

"You must be the only girl who hates to do it" Connie said smiling.

"I know, you think it's weird?" I said with my head down

"No" he said searching my eyes, "I think we would have problems in the future, because I also hate shopping"

"And why you agree to come?" I said confused.

"For you" he said proudly

"Aww, you're a cheesy, baldy" I said before kissing him.

As we walked, several mocked of Connie for having a girlfriend taller than him.

"At least I have a girlfriend!" he said flipping them off

I just laughed.

About half an hour after arriving at the mall, I only have to buy boots so we could get out of there.

In the shoe store, I take off one sneaker and when I were going to try on the boot, Connie took it off my hand and told me

"I'll help you, my  _lady_ "

"Thank you,  _sir_ " I said laughing

The boot didn't fit in.

Connie had both hands on it and pushed with all his strength against my foot, the shop assistants and people who were there were looking at us, some were trying to contain their laughter.

_This asshole_

"Connie" I said trying to stop my laughter "you have to unzip it"

"Oh" he said blushing

There was no effort to do to enter the boot.

"Perfect" he said proud of himself

"Yeah" I said, looking around me, there were still barefoot people watching us "let's go before you want to "help me" again"

"Well, sorry for being a gentleman!" he said lifting his arms.

I paid the boots and we walked out.

He offered to carry bags so we could hold hands when we're walking

_He is a gentleman_

_Or at least he tries._

When we were about to leave, I saw in a store the perfect gift for Connie.

"Connie" I said pointing to the beanie that stood out from the cabinet

"What's up?" he said before following the direction of my finger "you want to give me that beanie"

"You like it?" I said

"I think it wouldn't be possible love you more" he said with puppy eyes

I laughed

"I think that's a yes"

I bought the beanie that had Homer Simpson's face on it.

_It's perfect for Connie._

On Tuesday of that week we were in Mr. Kirschtein car, making our way to the mountains.

Connie looks awesome with that beanie.

"Guys" Mr. Kirschtein said "you're going to be alone in this hotel, so I will tell you know immediately, there are cameras in all the room. If you do "something" the receptionist are going to call me and I'll come to pick you up before you can even put your clothes on"

We all blush

_I know he is Jean's father and we are teenagers, but it was necessary?_

_I mean, I didn't even thought about that till now_

_And, what if Connie did?_

My thought made me blush even more.

"D-Dad, that wasn't necessary" said Jean

"You'll show me if it was or not" his father said with a smirk

The rest of the journey was uncomfortable. We looked each other and move away the view when our eyes met.

_Thank you, Mr. Kirschtein._

When we arrived at the hotel, Mr. Kirschtein left us in front of the room's door.

"You guys have fun" he said mocking "see you in a week"

There were two bedrooms, each with two beds.

_He made sure of all_

_Well, as any parent would._

Jean and Marco were installed in a room and Connie and I in the other.

We were ten minutes looking for the cameras.

When we finally find them, we started to do crazy faces and dance in front of them.

When we were in the hall, the "watchers" who were in the central desk, looked at us strangely.

"Snoopers" said Jean whispering

We all laughed.

None other than Jean could ski. He had come here a few times before.

"Ok" Jean said putting his skis and poles in position "like this you'll accelerate" he change of position "and like this you'll stop. It's a downhill with very little slope, so you're not going to fall"

Lie.

Marco, Connie and I fell like dominoes.

It hurt, but none, not even Jean endured the laughter.

After a few hours, we knew, at least, stay on our skis.

"You suck at this" Jean said "we better go to the Jacuzzi"

"Jacuzzi?! " the others said in unison

"Why you didn't tell us there was a Jacuzzi?!" Marco said "We were falling here in the snow for hours"

"I thought I had told you" Jean said with a shrug "that mean, you didn't bring swimsuits?"

"No!" we said exasperated

_I'll kill him._

"All right!" he said raising his hands "we can buy ones in the hotel store, calm down"

We entered the hotel and we bought the first and cheapest swimwear in the store.

We headed immediately to the Jacuzzi that was in our own room, but none of us, except Jean, knew it.

"You go first," Jean said "I'll make some hot chocolate"

"With marshmallows please" I said before entering the hot tub.

"Sure Sash" he said rolling his eyes

"Aahh" I said when I was in the Jacuzzi next to Connie, who put his arm around my shoulders.

Jean came with a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

We stay in the Jacuzzi till ten o'clock, we were exhausted.

Connie and I said goodnight to and Jean Marco and went to our room.

"We can't sleep together" Connie said

"Nope" I said sounding disappointed

"I have an idea!" he said going right to the beds

He approached his bed to mine. They were within arm's length.

"You're a genius," I said with a big smile.

We put on our pajamas and went to our respective beds.

We sleep holding hands.

_This isn't so bad._

_I mean_

_It's not like I want to sleep with Connie cuddling, with my face in his neck._

_Feeling his odor_

We were awakened by the receptionist, who called the room at eight o'clock in the morning, cause the buffet serve breakfast until 9:30.

Connie got up and wrote  _good morning and thank you_  on a paper and put it in front of the camera.

_He hates to be awakened, but he says that the fact that the hotel staff have to wake hours early to get everything ready and also call each room to wake the guests, sucks. And they deserve, at least, the good morning._

We said good morning to Jean and Marco, we got dressed and went down to the dining room together, when we passed the reception, the receptionist who called us this morning, smile to Connie. It was as a token of gratitude.

We ate breakfast and headed out to ski, not to beginners zone as yesterday, but the normal/advanced zone, which had curves and was slightly steeper.

"Shit" said Connie looking downhill

"Oh, come on" Jean said hitting his back "it isn't that hard"

"Jean" Marco said "for three people who learned this YESTERDAY, is very hard"

"Just do what I do" Jean responded when low skiing down till the first corner

"Are you going to follow him?" Connie said to Marco

"If I fall, I will on him" Marco said before you start your journey

_It would be fun to watch Marco fall on Jean_

"Your go first," Connie said

_Pff, coward_

"Okay" I said, "but you better not stay here"

"I follow you" he said with a smile.

I descend slowly, I was about to get to where Jean and Marco were.

Suddenly I felt someone shouting at me, but I ignore him. He had enough space to pass by me.

"Move" the stranger said before pushing me.

I fell on the icy snow, near to dangerously sharp rocks.

"Aahh" I complained as I tried to get up

_Moron._

I ran my hand over my face, which had filled with snow. The glove was stained with blood

_Perfect_

After doing that I heard someone coming skiing. It was Connie

"Hey you!" he shouted furiously, passing by me, following the man who had pushed me.

Jean came to me while I was following Connie with the view.

_He's going too fast._

When he turned on the curve, I couldn't see him more, Jean helped me to steady myself in the skis and before I could say "thank you", we heard Marco yell

"Connie" following immediately the direction that Connie had taken.

"Shit," Jean said before slipping through the snow, I lost him from my view in the same curve as the others.

_Oh no_

_Connie._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Homer's beanie](http://assets.craniumfitteds.com/images/main/5-The-Simpsons-Black-Yellow-The-Woven-Biggie-Beanie-By-New-Era-Cap-1.jpg)
> 
> You: this fucker update the chapter on a Saturday and also leaves us with that ending? FUCK THIS SHIT! 
> 
> Me: don't hate me, I feel awful, love me!
> 
> For those interested in other jobs. 
> 
> I'm finishing a Springlesone-shot, is something like an apology for the delay, so if my hand allows me, you'll be able to read it soon (maybe today at dawn or tomorrowujuju)  
> And I'm also working on the second part of My best treasure. 
> 
> Yes, more kawaii homo on my computer, so be patience.


	13. Bonbons and Memes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a awake, suits and condoms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have ever imagine Connie in a suit? OMG do it NOW.
> 
> I'm sorry about the delay, I have problems with finish things cause endings are always sad and meh.

I remember the rage against the guy who had pushed Sasha.

 

I remember ignoring Marco and the signs that marked the beginning of the advanced level for chasing that idiot.

 

_My head_

_I ache all over_

_What happened to that asshole?_

_I heard Jean chasing him and Marco screaming my name, but I didn’t hear Sasha._

_I hope she’s okay._

_I'm in the hotel._

_There's that horrible fruit’s paint that was in front of my bed._

"Sasha?" I said when I opened my eyes

 

Sat on the other bed were Jean and Marco.

 

"Connie" Sasha said with some dried tears on her cheeks. She had a cut on her face.

 

_Surely she was made that when she fell in the snow_

_If I catch that jerk, I'll make sure he won’t be able to walk again._

 

"Dwarf" Jean said standing from the bed, "I'm glad you're okay"

 

"What happened?" I said

 

"You fell, douchebag" he said hitting my arm, which apparently had a plaster.

 

_He had a scar on his lip._

 

"Chasing that idiot" he continue "you get into the more advanced zone and, as you're a shit skiing, you fell as the greatest idiots"

 

"At least you caught that son of a bitch, right?" I replied pointing his mouth

 

"I gave him what he deserved" he said slamming his fist into the other hand’s palm "he was one of those rich kids who believe that everything belongs to them"

 

_You should know that you're a rich kid, but at least try to respect others._

 

"So?" I said "What is my diagnosis?"

 

"According to this" Marco said showing a paper and reading it from the bed "you fractured your right wrist and you had three stitches on the forehead"

 

I raise my hand feeling my forehead to find a band.

 

"Awesome," I said

 

_Scars are the best_

 

"Idiot," said Sasha hitting my stomach "you scared me as hell"

 

"Sorry," I said almost airless "I couldn’t let go that asshole"

 

And then, I thought

 

_I ruin them the holydays_

 

"Guys" I said my arm at them "Go skiing, I'm fine right here"

 

"Yeah," Marco said getting out of bed "let’s leave our best friend alone in a hotel room while we go skiing"

 

He hit my head

 

"You're an idiot" he finished

 

"Marco!" I said surprised "Jean has completely corrupted you"

 

"Hey!" Jean said, and then he looked at Marco "Well, maybe a little bit"

 

"We won’t going to leave you here alone Connie" Sasha said squeezing my hand.

 

"What are we going to do?" I said, trying to convince them to leave the room and have fun, "we have three days left to be here”

 

"Look dwarf” Jean said "we have cards, movies and a freaking Jacuzzi. Marco and I could go down, find the food and come back here if you want"

 

"It's a fact," I said, thinking out loud

 

"What?" Marco said

 

"You're the best" I said a little embarrassed.

 

"Aww" the three said before hugging me

 

"Guys" I said

 

"Yes?" Jean said

 

"My arm," I replied wincing of pain

 

They went off as fast as possible and they began to laugh

 

"What a way to ruin the moment, dwarf" Jean said

 

"Who would ever throw over someone who has a cast?" I laughed

 

We spent the next three days playing cards, when we were bored losing to Marco, we watched movies and, in the nights, before going to bed, we soaked in the hot tub.

_At least I don’t have to withstand falling in the snow._

_I still think they should go out and ski, but I’ll never convince them_

_I adore them._

 

When the time to left came, we said goodbye to the receptionist, who had already become so accustomed to our faces and dances on camera as our notes of _good morning and good night._

 

Before leaving, by chance, we find the guy who had pushed Sasha.

 

Jean gave him a black eye and a split lip.

 

He was accompanied by two other, who, apparently, convinced him to apologize.

 

"Sorry," he said bound "I was an idiot"

 

"At least you know that" Jean said with contempt.

 

"I hope we don't have to repeat that," Marco said "none of us know ski, you could have done something worse than a fractured wrist"

 

"If you don’t know how to ski, you shouldn’t be here," the guy said staring us contemptuously

 

"Dennis" said one of his friends

 

"People shouldn’t live without a brain" I said "but you are here, don’t you?"

 

Those who watched us, laughed at the way the guy stared at me.

 

"I-I um ... you're a... ehh" Dennis said blushing.

 

"Let's go" Jean said "it’s going to dusk before he can gave a comeback"

 

Jean's father was waiting in the car right outside the hotel.

 

"Come on, heroes" he said, opening the back door.

 

_The receptionist must have called him._

_That’s mean my mom knows it too._

 

On the way home, we told Mr. Kirschtein how started the fight with this guy, Dennis.

 

"What an idiot” he said as he drove "push a woman. That guy shouldn’t call himself a man"

_Same here, Mr. Kirschtein_

 

The first that came home was Sasha. She was received by her mother as if she hadn’t been home for years.

 

We got to my house, I take my suitcase and said goodbye to the guys and Mr. Kirschtein.

 

My mom hugged me with all her strength before she could close the door after coming home.

 

_Why no one think of the plaster?_

_Seriously, it hurts._

 

"Why did you have to play the hero?" she said, still hugging me.

 

"He pushed Sasha, now she has a wound on her face. Plus, I fell before I could kick his ass"

 

"At least it wasn’t that bad" she said when he left my

 

"Yeah, but now I have an awesome scar," I smiled pointing my forehead.

 

She hit on the head

 

"Ouch! ...Really? Nobody cares that I have stitches on my head?" I said rubbing.

 

_She couldn’t help laughing._

 

I went to my room and I lay in my bed

_My head still hurts_

 

I look at my plaster, which was already signed by Marco and Sasha. It was also decorated by the "beautiful" Jean’s drawings.

 

_I’m going to be with this for a month._

 

_It itches_

I look at my desk for something to scratch it. All that was long enough was a pencil.

  

_Aahh, what a delight_

 

_Shit_

_I can’t believe it._

 

"Mom!" yelled from my room

 

"What happen, dear?" she said from the doorway.

 

"Can you bring me a pair of pliers or something?"

 

"Why you want it for?”

 

“We could say that a pencil 'fell' in my plaster" I said resigned

 

She laughed a bit before bringing me a sufficiently long forceps.

 

_Okay_

_I just have to reach the pencil_

_There it is._

_Now pull_

I sneeze

 

_Shit_

 

_Why is this happening to me?_

 

"Did you take it off?" my mother said after a while

 

"I’m just going to say, I'll have to wait a month to get that pencil back" I said passing her the tweezers

 

She started to laugh as hard as she could.

 

"Yes" I said "make fun of your son"

 

"You're so silly" she said still laughing

 

"Mom!" I said as I arched my eyebrows

 

"I'm sorry" she said quieter "I’m going to make the dinner"

 

"Ok" I said leaning back in my bed with my computer.

 

_Meme time._

_Why is there a countdown for two weeks?_

_What happens in two weeks?_

 

I saw the calendar.

 

February 14

 

_Oh no_

_Valentine’s Day_

_I hate Valentine’s Day!_

_Whenever couples making out in public and you can’t say anything because it's "their day"_

_Wait a minute._

_Now I’m with Sasha._

_I'll be one of those couples._

_Also it will be four months since we’re together_

_I have to show off._

_It’s not the first time I'm saved by the memes._

_I had to take her to dinner. Its Sasha was after all. But not fast food. It had to be a fancy restaurant, but cheap._

_Who knows a place?_

 

The only one that came to my mind was Jean.

 

_His parents always take him to that kind of places, plus he's the only one who can lend me a suit._

 

"What’s up?" he answered after a while

 

"Hi horse face" I said "I need a favor"

 

"What do you want now?"

 

"You know any fancy and cheap restaurant?"

 

"I know a couple, why?"

 

I must tell him, I was going to ask him for a suit anyway.

 

"I want to take Sasha for Valentine’s Day"

 

"Aww" he said "dwarf, you've softened my heart”

 

"I also wanted you to lend me a suit"

 

He began to laugh

 

"I can lend you one of Dean if you want"

 

_This douchebag_

 

"Ok thanks Jean, send the restaurant name later, bye..."

 

Before I could hang up, Jean shouts

 

"Dwarf, wait!”

 

"What?" I said in a serious tone

 

"Don’t get so sensitive," he said "I can give you an old one, if you want"

 

"Okay," I said "are you free tomorrow?"

 

"Sure," he said "you can accompany me to buy a gift for Marco"

 

“Deal horse face, bye"

 

"Bye dwarf"

 

The next day, I went Jean’s place and he lend me a suit that he had occupied when he was fourteen.

 

I take it to the bathroom to try it on.

 

_This cannot be possible_

 

I left the bathroom dragging the pants under my feet.

 

"Are you serious?” I told Jean, who was waiting on the couch "how something that you wear two years ago is still baggy to me?"

 

 

"Pff, don’t worry dwarf " he laughed "we could make a vast, cut it and ready. About the sac, we can ask my mother for some help"

 

"Okay," I said resignedly "and the restaurant?"

 

"If you want I could make your reservation now, you want French or a normal one"

 

"Normal please" I said "I can’t bear with the idea of not knowing what I eat"

 

"Ok" he smiled as he pulled out his cell phone and called the restaurant

 

While Jean was talking, I was deep in my thoughts

 

_Hopefully she like the way I look._

_Well, how I’m going to look._

_I still feel something is missing._

_A gift_

 

Suddenly I felt an indescribable pain in my plastered arm.

 

"Aahh" I scream "why did you do that Kirschtein?!"

 

"You didn’t answer" he shrugged "what were you thinking?"

 

"Nothing, Jean"

 

"Okay," he said sighing "go change, I want you to come with me to buy Marco’s gift"

 

"Ok" I said

 

We went to the mall

 

"What are you going to give to Marco?" I ask as we walked

 

He just raised his eyebrows suggestively

 

"I hate that face," I said

 

He said nothing, just smirked.

 

We entered the first pharmacy we found.

 

_Why are we here?_

_Does his mother asked for something?_

We went straight to the cash register.

_He wants devolution?_

 

"Hello," Jean said to the pharmacist

 

"Good afternoon" he responded "who can I help you?"

 

"Can you give me a box of condoms please?”

 

_What?!_

_Why he want that..._

_Oh no_

_Uugh_

 

The pharmacist saw my blush and smiled.

 

_Thanks Jean, now I can never return to this place._

 

Because I couldn’t tolerate Jean smiling face and the pharmacist face, I decided to give a look to the little pharmacy. I arrive by chance in front of a vending machine toys.

 

_I remember when I asked my mom money for these things._

_What they sold now?_

_Plastic rings?_

 

I looked for the change I had in my pocket and use it on the machine

 

_Pull a cute one, please._

A little ball came out from the machine, containing a small plastic ring. It was green with a little star in the middle.

_It’s perfect._

 

"You’re too old for that kind of stuff," Jean said when put his hand on my shoulder trying to see what I had in my hand "and it’s girly"

 

"Shut up," I said keeping the ring in my pocket "I thought we were going to buy Marco’s gift"

 

"Here it is" he said lifting the bag from the pharmacy

 

"I hate you" I said hitting the bag, which hit his nose

 

"You love me, dwarf" he said putting his arm on my shoulders and dragged me out of the pharmacy while the pharmacist and other customers look at us.

_I hate this asshole._

 

"Are you really going to give Marco _that_ for Valentine’s Day?" I said as we left the mall

 

"No, I bought him a shirt a week ago," he said, smiling "but you never know"

 

"And why you forced me to accompany you to buy them?"

 

"You think you’re the only one who can play pranks, dwarf?"

 

_You win this time, Kirschtein._

 

"Ok" he said looking at his watch "let’s go home, my mom must have arrived already, so we could fix the suit"

 

"As you say," I answered.

 

The suit, after the awesome work of Mrs. Kirschtein, it was perfect.

 

"I look like a fucking James Bond" I said as I looked in the mirror

 

"Yes" Jean said sarcastically "if you close one eye, turn your head and close your other eye, you're identical"

 

"Ha ha” I quipped as I hit him in the stomach "you’re so funny"

 

When Valentine’s Day was in a week, I sent a message to Sasha, telling her that I’ll take her to dinner, but I didn’t reveal where, I just told her to get herself pretty.

 

_She looks pretty always, anyway._

_I told her I would fetch her home, I can’t go by bus with a suit and walk is not an option either._

 

I went downstairs to talk to my mother.

 

"Mom," I said when she was cleaning the kitchen

 

"Yes dear?" she said without looking up

 

"Can I borrow the car to take Sash to a restaurant?"

 

He looked up and looked at me thoughtfully

 

_Say yes, please_

_I know I'm with a plaster, but it’s necessary._

 

"Okay," she said

 

_Uff_

 

"Thanks mom ---"

 

"But," she interrupted putting her finger in my mouth "you’re going to wash the dishes without complaining, for a month”

 

_A month?!_

 

"Okay," I said resignedly

 

_Sasha’s worth it._

 

"I also think, if you want to impress Sasha" she continue "you should clean the car”

 

_Ok, she's taking profit of the situation_

 

"Deal" I said "thanks Mom"

 

Vacuum inside a car with one hand, it’s hard. The one, who says otherwise, is a liar.

 

Valentine's Day came and I was ready for my date with Sasha. And before going through it, I decided to buy a box of bonbons.

 

_She loves filled ones. Well, she loves them all, but especially the filled ones._

 

I arrive to Sasha’s house when it was ten minutes to seven. I stay still in the car, my hand on the wheel, the box of bonbons in the passenger seat and the small plastic ring in my shirt’s pocket.

 

_Go to the door._

_It's just a date._

_You just have to go tell her how you feel and run out of there._

_Aahg_

I hit my head against the steering wheel honking the car horn.

 

_Shit_

 

I get off the car as quick as I could, the bonbon’s box in my hand and I head right to the door.

 

_Apparently they didn’t hear._

 

_Ok Springer, this is the time._

_Ring the bell._

_Now_

_Why I don’t do it?_

 

I looked at my watch, six fifty-eight.

 

_Ring the fucking bell._

 

I force myself to press the little button that was right next to the door.

 

I was received by Sasha's mother.

 

"Hi Connie" she said before kissing my cheek "you look very handsome"

 

"He he, thank you ma'am" I said scratching the back of my neck "is Sasha ready? ---Wow”

 

I saw Sasha walking downstairs, just like they do in the movies. She looked so beautiful in that green dress and with her hair down.

 

_Why she do this to me?_

_She makes me blush in front of her mother._

"Hello" I said "are those for me?"

 

_Say something, fast._

 

"What?" I said "ah, bonbons, yeah they are for you"

 

"Thanks honey," she said, taking the box off my hand and kissing me "are we leaving?"

 

“S-Sure " I said "bye Mrs. Braus"

 

"Bye guys," she said smiling "What time you’ll be back?"

 

"About ten o'clock" I said

 

"Okay, take care" she told us before leaving us at the door

 

After closing the door Sasha asked me

 

"Are we going to walk?"

 

"Nope," I said taking the car keys from my pocket, removing the alarm "your carriage is waiting, madam"

 

"How did you get your mother’s car?"

 

"I had to take a couple of conditions, but for you, it worth it" I said proudly.

 

"Aww" she said posing a kiss on my cheek "thanks Connie"

 

"Are we going?" I ask

 

"Yeah" she said smiling and taking my arm

 

I opened the passenger door and we lend to the restaurant. On the way Sasha was eating her bonbons and she gave me some mouth.

 

_Mmm, mint._

_She just gives it to me because she doesn’t like mint._

_But I still appreciate it._

 

We arrived at the restaurant and the waiter led us to the reserved table for two.

 

_Jean did a great job._

_I’ll tell thank that asshole later._

We ordered our food and waited to be served.

 

_Should I ask her now? Or I could do it after dinner or in the car the way home..._

 

"Connie" Sasha said looking at me worried, "what’s the matter?"

 

_I have to tell her._

 

"Nothing," I said

 

 

"You look worried" she said looking at her empty plate "I ordered too expensive food?"

 

_Damn_

 

"No, not at all" I said putting my hand on hers "I have to tell you something"

 

"What?" she said more relieved

 

I looked around, luckily there were no waiter near and the other tables were far away from ours.

 

"Ok" I sighed

 

I stood from the chair and I knelt, looking for the ring in my pocket.

 

"Connie, what are you doing?" Sasha said looking around

 

_I don’t even know_

 

"Sasha" I said with the ring between my fingers "I'm not asking for your hand"

 

_Well, not yet_

 

"Is a promise" I continue " the promise that I’ll never going to walk away from you, take you to dinner, make you laugh, ward off your tears and spend every Valentine’s Day with you"

 

She just looked at me, stunned.

 

_Actually I'd feel the same._

 

I hadn’t noticed Sasha’s tears till I find myself wiping them with my thumb.

 

"Connie" she said

 

"Yes?" I said to still kneeling on the floor

 

_I think my heart will explode._

 

"Yes," she said as she stretched her right hand "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter what happens"

 

_Oh my god._

 

I put the plastic ring on her finger, the one which, normally, engagement rings are.

 

She looked at her hand, smiled and leaned forward to kiss me.

 

"You know I love green" she said smiling.

 

"And I love you" I said as I sat on the chair looking into her eyes.

 

"I know," she said smirking "so you want to marry me"

 

"Shut up" I said embarrassed "you want to marry me too"

 

While we ate, none of us looked away from the other.

 

_Someday I'll bring her here again and I I’m going to propose her._

 

_Now I’m sure she’ll say yes._

 

We finished dinner, I pay the bill and we get out of there. In the way to Sasha’s place, she put her head on my shoulder and looked at her little ring of plastic.

 

_I’m glad she had liked it._

 

We were on the driveway five minutes before ten. I left the car in contact and I looked Sasha.

 

"You want me to leave you at the door?" I asked

 

"No" she said putting her hand on mine "I want to stay here for a while"

 

I leaned over to kiss her.

 

_I can taste dinner’s potatoes, delicious._

 

She left the car at ten, I said goodbye to her with a little honk and I went home. While I was watching the road, which was lit only by the lights, all I could think about was how curious it was fate.

 

_Like everyone, I had girlfriends and I like them, but I never felt what I feel for Sasha. She complements me. It’s as if we were created to be together._

 

Neither would have thought that that dinner, that simple four months anniversary’s dinner, would be the first of many dinners to come in the future.

 

And you know, I think I could get used to that, Valentine’s Day didn’t sound so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note for you...its only a chapter left...and I'm going to cry.


	14. Pizza and Donuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a proposal, with another pizza and stomach's ache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me introduce myself, I'm the worst person you've ever met, why? you'll wonder
> 
> A month ago (or something) I don't update this fic and I should have finished it three weeks ago.
> 
> BUT, there is a "positive" side to this, is a double epilogue (because of my little monster force me to write Jean's POV, it would be the second part) and together are more than 12 thousand words, so believe me, it was worth the wait.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and see you in the endnotes.

It has been ten years since I've known Connie and one and a half since I married him.

_I remember when he proposed me._

_He took me to the restaurant where we had spent our first Valentine's Day._

_He was as much or more nervous when he gave me the green plastic ring, which I hadn't taken off even one day until then._

"Sasha" he said kneeling on the floor.

"Yes?" I said trying to avoid the tears of happiness.

"It's time to fulfill my promise," he said, opening the little box covered with velvet "Will you marry me?"

I jumped on him hugging his neck and giving him multiple kisses on the face.

People who were in the restaurant laugh and, when we sat at the table, Connie swap the small plastic ring with a silver one, it has small green decorations, and the waiters congratulated us. Many of them had been there eight years ago.

These have been the best years of my life.

_Like anyone, I thought that we would separate to go to college. He would study medicine and I gastronomy, of course._

_I thought I wouldn't see Jean who studied engineering or Marco who studied laws._

_Our paths will never cross over._

_But I was wrong, the times that we didn't see each other was on exam season, I remember that we couldn't even see our parents, who were on the floor below._

These are been wonderful years, even Dean, that kid who felt in love of his best friend's sister, was eighteen and he was ready to enter to college.

"I don't think I'm ready to study economics, I mean, I want to get into dad's business, but I don't know" he told us when he, Jean and Marco came to see our house.

"What are you talking about?" Connie said hitting him in the back "if I could do it, you can too"

"Yeah" I said with a big smile "none of us, except Marco, had good grades and look at us now"

Jean and Marco had worked hard to pay a surrogate mother, Connie and I tried to convince them of the adoption, which, despite being a long process, it was much cheaper, but they wanted that little had their genes.

Both were surprised when they came to our home from the hospital with two babies

"What the fuck is going on?" Connie said, looking at Jean, who had eyes only for the baby that was in his arms

"Shh, watch your mouth, dwarf" Jean said "Dylan and Devon are sleeping"

"When you knew they would be twins?" I said patting Devon's cheek, who was in Marco's arms.

"Three months ago" he said smiling at me.

"When you let them in their cribs, I'll kick your ass, Marco" I said with a very relaxed voice

"You want to hold him, right?" Marco said getting up from the couch and handing me the baby.

"Yes" I said getting the baby in my arms.

"Watch the head" Jean said

_He's so small, look at that tiny nose, is so small that if he wouldn't have one there wouldn't be a difference._

His eyes met mine when he opened them.

_He have Jean's eyes_

"Hello there" I said as I smiled slightly "Connie look, come here"

Connie quickly approached me

"Hey little man" he said stroking his cheek "You have your dumber father's eyes"

"Does he have dun eyes?" Marco said approaching us and putting his chin on my shoulder

"Hey" Jean said frowning, with Dylan asleep in his arms, he looked at his other son in the eye and his expression relaxed, I think I saw a slight smile "is true"

We all laughed quietly.

_I can't believe there have been already six months since that day._

"Dean" Jean said putting his hand on his brother's shoulder "I tell you this because I'm your big brother and I love you" he took a deep breath and said "you're a nerd so don't worry"

"Tch, thank Jean" he said hitting his ribs "I love you too"

"Guys" Marco said from the floor, he was playing with his two little men "I think we should order pizza, I'm starving"

Jean laugh

"Okay freckles" he said pulling out his phone "I'll order a large with double cheese"

"Perfect" he said

"How was the case today?" I told Marco, while Connie, Dean and I sat on the floor with him to play with the babies.

"Ah, yeah," Jean said as he waited on the phone and sat next to him "the car accident isn't it?"

Marco was defending a guy who, drunk, had caused an accident in which the driver of the other vehicle remained in life-threatening for three days until they could stabilize him, if he had died, he would have sentenced to five years in prison.

"Ugh," said Marco running his hand through his hair "they give him six months for driving intoxicated with serious injuries, we are trying to get parole monthly signature and the taking of his license for one year, the sentence would have been worse but it would have been that the other driver was speeding and red light jumping, he planned to give three months' imprisonment or community service"

"Assholes" Jean said with the phone on his lap, the pizza would arrive at any time.

"Jean!" his brother said covering his nephew's ears "watch your mouth!"

"Oops," Jean said covering his mouth "sorry"

After twenty minutes of waiting, rang the doorbell

"Doorbell" I said quickly

"Doorbell" Connie and Dean said almost simultaneously

"Doorbell" Marco said finally

"You should stop doing that," Jean said getting up to open the door "it's immature"

"You should stop losing" Marco said hitting his back affectionately.

While we ate pizza, I had a strange feeling.

_Is this possible?_

"What happened?" Connie said with pizza in his mouth "you didn't want olives?"

"Is not that," I said confused "I…I don't want eat"

All were silent and stopped chewing

"Do you feel fine?" Connie said touching my forehead "you don't have fever"

_I have pain in my stomach._

I couldn't stand it anymore, I leave the pizza in the box, I stand up and, trying not to step on the babies, I went right to the bathroom.

I'll just say that I arrive on time for the toilet.

_I don't remember eating anything out of the ordinary._

I got up. I brush my teeth and left the bathroom.

The guys were standing right in front of the door.

"What's wrong?" I said raising an eyebrow

"Sasha" Connie said, he had his jacket on "we're going to the hospital, Reiner is on duty so he'll attend you"

"No" I said "I'm fine"

"Sasha" Jean said "you had never rejected a double cheese pizza in your whole life"

_They may be right_

"Okay," I said resignedly

"I'll go with you," Jean said

"We'll stay here," Marco said

"Ok, let's go" Connie said taking my hand and, literally, dragging me to the car.

We arrived at the hospital around eight in the evening.

Reiner and Bertholdt were there, they had been Connie's mates in college and they had become quite close over the years.

"Hey Springer" Reiner said waving his hand "what's wrong? Why you called so worried? "

"I think Sasha could be intoxicated" Connie said worried

"She had fever?" Bertholdt said

"No" Connie said

"She had vomit?" Reiner asked this time

"Yes," replied Connie squeezing my hand

"Okay," Reiner said "I'll make you take some tests Sash"

"Ok" I said sighing and releasing Connie

While Reiner was doing an ultrasound to see if there was something strange in my stomach, I was lost in my thoughts.

_What could I have eaten?_

_Until now I had never experienced anything like this, well, just on Halloween._

_I hope they won't force me to diet_

_I wouldn't be able to tolerate that._

"Oh" Reiner said surprised looking at screen "Oh my"

"What?" I said scared

"Don't move" he said before leaving the room

I looked at the screen. I only was able to see black and white.

_How do they know if there's something wrong or not?_

Reiner came with Connie from the arm

"Reiner what wrong?" Connie said approaching me "why you didn't say anything?"

"I wanted you two hear this," Reiner said

_Oh no_

"Connie, Sasha is pregnant"

"What?" Connie said approaching to the screen

I froze.

_Pregnant_

"Sash" Reiner said trying to get me out of the trance "you have a month of pregnancy"

"Connie" I said serious "come here"

"What's the matter?" he said putting his hand on mine

I pull him by the shirt and I locked him on an embrace.

I felt the tears coming out of my eyes

"We're going to be parents," I said with my face in her neck

"Yes" he said hugging me as hard as he could

"Congratulations guys," Reiner said putting his hand on Connie's back

I clean my belly from the liquid, I put down my shirt and left there holding Connie's hand.

Jean was sitting outside with his face on his hands, when he saw us. He jumped from his seat and walked toward us.

"So?" he said worried

"Let's go home" I said trying to hide my emotion "you all have to know at the same time"

"Not even a hint?" Jean said

"No" Connie said, feigning seriousness

As we drove home, Jean was in the back seat, without stopping to ask us questions.

"Appendicitis, Peritonitis, Colon?"

"Jean" Connie said looking in the mirror "if you don't shut up, I swear I'll go off the road and I'll kick your ass"

"Oh, I'm so scared" Jean said sticking his tongue out and returning to his seat as a little kid.

As they were fighting, I kept touching my belly.

_I can't believe there's a life inside of me._

_And I'll have a Connie's child._

"Are you okay Sash, you want to lie down?" Jean said getting me out of my thoughts

"What?" I said looking at him "oh, don't worry, I'm better now"

"Ok," he said still worried

We got home around nine thirty. Marco and Dean were watching a movie while the twins were asleep in their car seats.

"Sasha!" Dean said jumping quickly from the couch to my direction "How are you? Are you okay? What do they say?"

"I think being nosy comes genetically" Connie laughed

Dean just stick his tongue out in response.

"So" Marco said "what happened?"

"Guys" I said as they sat, Connie and I were in front of them "I'm pregnant"

"What?" Jean said "how?"

"You really want me to explain that, Jean?" Connie said smirking

"Guys" Marco said getting up and hugging us by the neck "congratulations"

"I'll be an uncle" Dean said joining the hug

"Hey" Jean said pointing to his sons

"Sorry" Dean said "I'll be an uncle, for the second time"

"That's better" said Jean before embrace us all.

Dean would really like an uncle to me and Connie is like a brother, like Jean and Marco

A week after, we invite our mothers to dinner. I prepared one of the few foods that didn't give me nausea.

_I'll love this little monster, but I don't like the conditions he has with food._

While we ate Connie started talking

"I took Sasha to the hospital last week," he said

"What?" his mother said and then she looked at me "are you okay?"

"Better than ever" I said smiling "mom, Mrs. Springer, you will be grandmothers"

All they did was drop their forks in their plates and they stand up to hug me

"Oh my god" my mother said as she kissed my cheeks

"Congratulations" Mrs. Springer said

"He's also my baby" Connie said standing beside my chair, pouting.

"Aww" said his mother as he pulled away from me and went to hug her son

My mother kissed my cheek for the last time before going to embrace Connie.

Three months later, my belly was already big enough to being notice, luckily the nausea had passed and I could eat as usual.

"You know" Connie said when we were watching TV in the living room's couch.

"What?" I said without taking his eyes off the TV

"It's funny that you don't have cravings. Most women make their husbands go crazy because of that, but you love anything edible"

I laughed

"You're lucky to have me Springer" I said

"Yeah" he said patting my belly and kissing my forehead "both of you"

_Now that I think, we still don't know the baby's sex._

_Actually, I have no preferences about that, but, what if Connie has?_

"What would you like it to be, boy or girl?" I asked

"Actually," he said thoughtfully, "if he were a boy, I'll teach him to play football, I would read him my favorite comics and I'll take him to conventions with me"

"And, what if it were a girl?" I asked with an irrational fear that Connie didn't want a girl.

"I would do the same, but she would be my little princess"

I laughed and kissed him on the lips.

"What matters is his/her health" he finished.

"Yes" I said

With seven months of pregnant and my stomach looked like a beach ball. I had a routine control in the hospital.

When we were driving there when Connie wonder

"Today we'll know the sex, right?"

We could have known before, but, for some reason, none of us wanted to ruin the surprise.

"Yes" I said nervously taking his hand and leading it to my stomach, the baby was kicking "he knows we're talking about him"

"Or her" Connie said smiling.

When we arrive to the hospital, Reiner took us to the ultrasound room

"Are you ready?" he said before putting the liquid in my stomach.

"Yes," Connie said taking my hand

Reiner proceeded with the ultrasound, Connie had his eyes fixed on the screen, and I just looked at him and squeezed his hand trying to get him to relax.

"Ok" said Reiner when he finished "you want to tell you now or I give it to you officially in a text"

"Now," we both said at the same time

"Is…" Reiner said without following

"Come on Reiner!" Connie said desperate "stop playing"

"Ok, ok, calm down" he laughed, "this is always the best part. Connie is a girl. You're having a girl"

_A girl_

"We'll have a little princess" Connie said kissing my hand and then kissing me on the lips.

That same day, after calling our respective mothers to tell the news, call Jean and Marco to let them know his nephew was going to be a niece.

"Congratulations guys," Jean said when Connie's phone was on speaker "Dean is at Gareth's place, so I'll call them"

"Okay," Connie said "you're saving me a call"

He laughed

"Ok dwarf" Jean said "I'll talk you later, remember, next week is twins' birthday"

"I haven't forgotten" Connie said "Bye Jean"

"Bye Connie, bye Sash"

"Goodbye Jean" I said before looking at Connie "A year"

"At least they haven't been corrupted by Jean" he laughed

"Thanks to Marco" I replied

A week later, we went to Jean and Marco's house.

They had invited their friends from college. Among them was Armin, a good friend that Marco had in school and, as I was told, they both were surprised when they met the first day in law school. He was, as always, with his two best friends Eren and Mikasa, the girl that Jean was crazy years ago and the guy who he always fight, but they were still friends.

Ymir, Christa and Annie were there too, they were Jean's mates in college. By chance, Annie was also Reiner and Berthold's friend.

Over the years we had all become very close, it really felt like we'd already met before, in another life.

While the twins opened their gifts, Dean and Maida talked nonstop.

_They have been friends since they met, they see each other almost every day._

_I remember when Dean had a girlfriend._

_She broke up with him because she couldn't stand that Maida was so close to him, the same thing happened to Maida with their boyfriends._

"Look at those two" I said to Connie who was sitting next to me

"I know" he said pointing himself "Springer charm"

"Yeah right," I said tapping his shoulder

He kissed me on the cheek

After they open presents, Gareth and Aiken began to play with the babies. Dean and Maida had disappeared from our view.

"Hey Kirschtein" Connie said when he couldn't find his cousin "better that your brother to behave"

"He's a Kirschtein" Jean said surrounding Marco with his arm

"That's what I fear" Connie replied

"Sasha" Christa said from the other side of the room "you choose a name yet?"

"Oh yeah" Eren said before taking a sip of his beer "It must be hard to find a name that combine with Springer"

"Indeed," Connie said looking surprised by the slip "we hadn't thought of that"

"We could search for one now" Ymir said "there are thousands of names on the Internet, there must be more than one that combine with this dwarf's last name"

"Okay," I said smiling

_I'm glad they want to help, it's a difficult task, and ten heads are better than two._

"Ok" Jean said when he came with his computer and began to type "baby names"

We spent at least an hour trying to find a name, even when babies were asleep Aiken and Gareth had joined us.

The computer had gone through all. Everyone had reviewed the lists of names alphabetically. We were in D and nothing.

_This is ridiculous, how we can't find one name?_

Suddenly Dean and Maida entered the house.

"There you are," Connie said

"What were you doing outside?" Ymir asked suggestively.

The two of them blushed and we all laughed.

"N-Nothing," Dean said, scratching the back of his head

_He looks like Jean when he does that_

"Anyway" Dean continued, "What are you doing?"

"We are looking for the baby's name" Annie said deadpan, with his hand on forehead looking trough the computer screen

"All of you?" Maida said surprised "and you haven't found anything?"

"No" Jean said disappointed

"Give me the computer" Dean said stretching his hand

"Here" Annie said with relieve, as if a load out of her shoulders

Dean began searching and, no more than five minutes later, he said a name said that, despite the simplicity, it was really nice.

"What about, Dara?" Dean said looking at computer screen

We all stood silent staring between us.

"Dara" Connie said raising an eyebrow

"Dara Springer" I said thoughtfully "I like it"

"You're welcome" Annie said with a slight smile on her face

We all laughed

"I said it" Dean said pointing himself

"Look Dean" Annie said crossing her arms "if you wouldn't have arrived after making out with Maida, I'd have said it"

Maida, who was on Dean's side, blushed as hard as he did

"Okay," Dean said "I'll give you that Annie"

"So you admit you make out with Maida" Jean said, looking at his brother with pride

"Oohhh" said the other

"I-I ... no ... I mean ... we" Dean stammered as he watched Maida trying to make her say something

"He asked me to be his girlfriend" Maida said with a pink hue on her cheeks

"Again" Gareth said laughing "Don't you have to get permission from our parents?"

"Shut up," Dean said throwing a pillow on his head, causing Gareth fell of the arm chair.

Nobody could stop laughing.

"Dean" Connie said earnestly putting his hand on Dean's shoulder, "you better take care of my cousin"

Dean gulped and said

"O-Ok Connie"

"I can take care of myself-" Maida managed to say before Connie cover her mouth with his hand

"Shh" Connie said, "when your parents aren't around, I'm the one who have to scare the suitor and/or boyfriend"

"Where did you get that?" Jean said out in defense of his brother

"Is the code" Connie said, looking at our friend's eyes

"The code" Jean said raising an eyebrow

"The shut up Jean code" said Connie trying to contain his laughter

All capped his mouth, choking of laughter by the face that Jean made after that joke.

"Well played dwarf, well played" Jean said putting his hand on Connie's shoulder

About ten o'clock, everyone started to leave, they had work tomorrow and, even if they wanted to, they couldn't stay longer.

Connie and I stayed up later, I was on leave for pregnancy anyway and he didn't turn until four in the afternoon tomorrow.

At home, when we were in bed, ready to sleep, Connie hugged me and Dara, our little princess, started kicking the wall of my stomach as hard as she could, as if she trying to make Connie feel her to.

"I think she says you're crushing her" I said smiling

He gave a small chuckle and kissed my belly

"Sorry, honey," he said before petting "good night babe"

"'Night Connie" I replied with a yawn.

Pregnancy, believe it or not, is a very fast process.

Eight and a half month of pregnancy and Dara was ready to see the outside world.

I wasn't surprised that she was a little premature Reiner and Connie, especially Connie, had already warned me several times.

They also warned, but I didn't believe it was so serious, about the pains that were suffered before and during labor.

I wouldn't wish that pain even to my worst enemy.

I went into labor at six in the afternoon, so that's a good or bad luck, I was awake, but home alone, and Connie wouldn't come home till eight.

I called him when contractions were every half hour, around seven o'clock

"Connie" I said before he answered "pick up, please, pick up"

"Hey babe" he said after three tones "how are you?"

My breathing quickened, one of the contractions was putting pressure on my stomach.

"Connie" I said as the pain subsided "the baby is coming"

"What?" he shouted against the phone "you broke waters? Did you call an ambulance? Are you OK? How often are the contractions?"

I took a lot of air and said

"Yes, no, kind of and every thirty minutes"

Connie said nothing after my response. All I heard were noises in his cell and several voices on the other side of the phone.

"Reiner! ...Come with me, quick! ... No, listen, Sasha is having the baby! Look for a fucking ambulance! ..."

"Connie?" I said calmer, there were about twenty-five minutes before the next contraction

"Shit" I was able to heard before he put the phone closer to his mouth "Sasha, fix your stuff, Reiner and I will be there before your next contraction comes, please take care"

"Okay" I said "Bye honey"

"Bye babe" he said with a calm speech "I love you"

"I love you too, asshole" I said hanging up after going to my room to finish the suitcase that I had begun a few days ago.

"So you couldn't wait," I said patting my stomach "there were just two short weeks more, Dara, it wasn't that much"

In response, my little princess kicked the wall of my stomach, but now, she didn't have enough space.

When my suitcase was ready, I decided to call Marco to inform him that his _niece_  was ready to come out to the world.

_Jean would make a scandal. He's not very good with pressure situations._

The next contraction will be in about ten minutes

"Hi Sash" he replied after a dial tone, "How do you feel?"

"Fine" I said smiling, as if he could see me, "I mean, besides the contractions, I feel awesome"

He took a while to connect the tracks

"Contractions?" he shouted against the phone's microphone "are you having the baby?"

I laughed

"What was your first hint, Marco?" I said with a mocking tone

"Sasha don't play with me" he said seriously "do you want to go for you? I could ask permission at work"

Just as he said that, I heard to the front door knob turn.

_Five minutes for the next contraction._

"Don't worry" I said smiling at Connie ran to get my side "Connie is here"

"Ok Sash, I'll call Jean, you don't need anything?"

I put a pensive face. Connie had taken the suitcase to the ambulance.

"Food" I said "I didn't reach out to dinner and I'm starving"

He laughed

"I will make the attempt," he said "I'll see you later"

"Bye Marco" said hanging up the phone, just in time for the contraction take of my breath.

_Breathe, one ... two ... one ... two_

Connie came back inside and when he saw me writhing in pain, he went to the couch and took my hand, which I strangled for several seconds, he stroked my back.

"Easy" he said as I straightened "it will finish soon and we'll be able to see our little princess"

He kissed me tenderly, as if it were the seal of a promise.

"Yes" I said "are we going?"

"Sure babe," he said, helping me to get up from the couch.

We closed the front door and there was the ambulance, Reiner was right next to it, waiting with an empty stretcher.

"Your carriage" he said with a smile on his face

"Thanks" I said approaching him

"How do you feel?" Reiner asked as he and Connie climbed me to the ambulance

"Hungry" I said touching my stomach "You have anything to eat there?"

"I don't think so," Reiner said, laughing "but I promise you I'll take some contraband after the delivery"

"I'll take your word" I said leaning back on the stretcher.

Way to the hospital, the contractions were more often.

"Sorry" I said to Connie after pressing his hand until his fingers turned red

He smiled and kissed my forehead

"Never mind," he said retaking my hand "if it makes you feel better, I'll bear ten kicks to my groin if is necessary"

I laughed at his proposal

"I don't have enough strength to do that" I said "so, you're safe"

We arrived at the hospital and we were greeted by Bertholdt, who was waiting by the obstetrician, Erwin Smith, a tall and intimidating blond man.

"Good afternoon," he said as they take me to the delivery room "How are you feeling?"

_Why does everyone ask me that, don't you see I'm having a baby?_

_FYI contractions hurt and don't make you feel on a bed of roses._

"Fine," I replied noticing that I had lost in my thoughts "I would be better if I could get something for the pain"

Dr. Smith laughed warmly and put his hand on my shoulder

"Sure," he said before looking at Bert "take her to the room, I'll be there in a few minutes"

"Okay," said the sweaty Bertholdt

After the epidural, the pain subsided considerably.

The hardest part was just a few minutes away.

"Ok Sasha" Dr. Smith said with a mask on his mouth, next to him, a nurse, green-eyed redhead, had in front of her all the tools that they would use in childbirth "you've got ten centimeters dilated, when I say, you have to push with all your strength"

"Okay," I said settling down on the stretcher with the little strength I had left. There had been the most grueling 4 hours of my life. Beside me, Connie was equally or more nervous than me "calm down, I'll be the one who push"

He only replied with a nervous laugh and squeezed my hand.

"Very well," said Erwin approaching more "and ...push!"

When I heard the signal, I squeezed Connie's hand and I leaned forward, putting pressure on the lower part of my stomach.

It's the worst pain I've felt in my life, the pain in my lower part, the sweat on my forehead, reddened by the effort and my baby didn't want to come out.

"There are already crowning" said obstetrician slightly raising his head to look at the nurse and then to my eyes "come on Sasha, just a few more seconds"

"I can't" I said with my eyes closed for the effort "No... I can't continue"

"Sasha" said Erwin "you can rest. Breathe deeply, when I say you'll have to push again, okay?"

"Yes" I said taking a deep breath, relieved only by a few seconds before the next Erwin's signal were gave

"You're doing great" Connie said kissing my forehead full of sweat.

_If a kiss when you're sweating like a pig isn't love, then I don't know what love is._

"Sasha" Erwin said interrupting my two minutes rest "I need you to start pushing now"

"Ok" I said leaning forward making the same effort that I had made only five minutes ago.

I could barely keep the strength in my stomach, I wanted to rest, I hadn't eaten anything all afternoon and I wanted to give up.

But I didn't

_I don't care how hard it is, I'll keep pushing to see Dara._

"The shoulder is already out" Erwin said "Sasha, just a few seconds more"

Suddenly, the pain in my lower left and I immediately stop pushing and I laid on the stretch without taking his eyes from Erwin, who stood with his robe covered in blood and with a little human in his arms. He and the nurse went directly to a stretcher where they got a kind of syringe in my baby's mouth. That forced her to wake up and start to mourn a disconsolate manner.

Connie hadn't let my hand in all that time.

The nurse wiped Dara, wrapped her in a pink towel and carried her into my arms.

"Shh, Shh" I said to my baby's mourning, that, somehow, broke and softened my heart "I'm here, don't you remember me?"

_Why all babies look like little aliens at birth?_

_But somehow, she's still beautiful._

Her crying was now a sweet sob. She opened her eyes and looked me straight in the eyes.

_She has Connie's eyes._

"Hi," I said with a tired voice, "it's cold, right? Who's been so bad for take you out of where you were?"

Apparently Dara understood me, because she gave something very like a groan and snuggled into my chest.

"Connie" I said looking at my husband, who was with a couple of tears in his eyes "look what you've done"

He wiped his cheeks and went to our baby

"I think she's the best we've done" he said putting a finger in our daughter's hand, she took it firmly

"Congratulations" Erwin said pulling the mask off his face "what's her name?"

"Dara" Connie said looking at him into the eyes "Dara Springer"

"What a pretty name" the nurse said writing in her notepad.

When Connie took our daughter in his arms, I fell asleep. As if they had pressed the off button on my system.

I woke up scared. My belly was no longer the size it had been for almost nine months.

I could hear Connie talking to the baby, who was in his arms. Both were by the window and Connie was pointing to the buildings, houses, trees and everything.

"Good morning?" I said trying to guess what time it was

"Hello" said Connie turning with a big smile on his face "look, your mommy woke up"

"What time is it?" I said rubbing my eyes

"Half past ten" he said sitting in the chair next to me.

_I slept almost eleven hours_

_Wow_

"How is Dara?" I said straightening on the stretch to be seated and see our little girl.

"She's fine," he laughed "the nurse brought her about six 'because she woke the other babies with her cry"

"She missed me" I said stroking her little pink cheek

"That should be" Connie replied before looking to my eyes "the guys will come around noon, so you can take a bath, I'll bring you something to eat if you want"

"Okay," I said taking the foot of the bed "remind Reiner that he promised me food"

"Sure," he said getting my kiss as I bent over him

Having a bath after sweating like a pig is the second best part of having a baby.

While the water in the shower was running, I heard the unmistakable Reiner's voice and I felt the sweet smell of donuts and coffee.

_God bless you, Reiner._

I dried my hair with the towel. I dressed as fast as I could and left the bathroom to see Reiner and Connie sat in the chairs in the room. Dara was in her little crib right next to the stretch

"Hi Sash" Reiner said getting up from his seat and gave me a big hug, "Congratulations, she's gorgeous"

"Thanks Reiner" I said with my arms around him "what flavor did you bring?"

He laughed before pulling away to see me face to face

"Chocolate and raspberry" he said

"Thanks" I smiled going to my bed and taking a donut from the small box.

"I see you're okay" Connie said

"Better than ever" I said teach my 'muscles'

As I ate the donut, Dara began to mourn with all the strength of her lungs.

"Aww" I said as I took her in my arms "donuts' smell makes you hungry?"

Before I began to feed my baby, I looked at Connie and Reiner.

"Oh" Connie said getting up from his chair "Come on, Reiner, let's... let's see Bert, I don't have talk to him for a while"

"Sure," Reiner said following the game "see you Sash"

"See you Reiner" I said gesturing

When they closed the door, I lifted my shirt and I nursed my baby. I did it in a so naturally form as like I have done it all my life.

Dara's mourn stop after a while, now she was focused sucking the milk of my bare chest.

When she sated, she tore her mouth and I could put down my shirt again, I put a cloth on my shoulder and gave her a pat on the back to take out all gases.

She gave a small burp, which, in my opinion, was the most adorable burp I have ever heard.

I held her in my arms until Connie opened the door, poking his face.

"Hi," he smiled and entering the room

"Hello" I said "where's Reiner?"

"He had to attend to a patient," he said sitting next to me in the stretch, "this is a hospital, remember?"

"Ha, ha" I said sarcastically, leaning my head on his chest "you're so funny"

He wrapped his arms around me and he kissed me in my temple.

We sat there for a while until we hear a knock at the door.

"Come in" Connie said looking up

The door swung open and a big basket with balloons entered, under it, was a pair of legs. Marco came after it with his two children by the hand.

"Hello" said the errant basket to Connie "a little help here?"

"Jean" Connie said feigning surprise "it was you"

"Who else would be carrying this damn basket?" Jean said "now, hurry up"

"Okay, jeez" Connie said receiving the basket and taking it to the table in the corner of the room. Then he said between his teeth "older, grumpier"

When he saw me, Jean ran to me and hugged me taking care not to crush the creature that was in my arms

"How are you?" he said my neck

"I feel great, Jean" I replied when he part away from me, looking into my eyes.

When I saw Marco, I stretched my free arm, he let the hand of twins who were in the care of Jean and Connie and rushed to hug me.

"Congratulations," he said kissing my cheek

Connie, Jean and the twins went to my bed so they could see the baby more closely.

"Look" said Jean his two men "she is Da-ra"

"Da- ra" repeated Devon, trying to touch the baby, but his hand was hit by Jean before he could do so.

Dylan, on the other hand, as the 'quiet ' twin, looked confused the little person that was in front of him.

"Ah" said Marco going to the basket that was on the table "we brought you something, Sasha"

He was, apparently, looking for something at the bottom of it. When he finally found it, he turned to face my eyes, in his hands, the more appetizing cake I have ever seen in my life.

Well, it also helped that he had only eaten a donut in the whole morning.

"I love you" I said to Marco and Jean

Everyone laughed and Marco began to share the cake so that everyone may eat it in my bed, I left Dara in her crib before starting to eat my slice, which was larger than the others.

_Thank you Marco_

That afternoon, after Jean, Marco and the twins left, thanks to that I had almost completely recovered of the childbirth, Dr. Smith discharge me with no problems.

Connie, excited to take our daughter home, packed all my clothes while I dress up Dara, with special care not to wake her from her sleep.

Back in the car, got in the back seat and made sure my baby in her car seat.

"Are we ready?" Connie said, looking in the rearview

"Ready" I replied putting the belt

The road was filled with angry drivers that passed us on the road.

"Connie" I said looking out the window "could speed up a bit? Is a seventy area and you're like in fifty"

"I don't care" he said, his eyes on the road "they have enough space, I'll take my chances of an accident in the first car ride My Daughter"

"Will it always be so?" I said raising an eyebrow "because if it is, I'll start driving"

"It will be like this" he said at the light turned red "until she stops using that seat, then maybe I'll drive at seventy"

I laughed, because I noticed that he said that totally serious.

_I like him to worry about Dara's safety, but he's driving like a grandma._

At home, I took Dara in my arms and Connie took the suitcase to the door, I had to take Dara quickly to her room, because in the way she had a little "accident"

"How is possible that smell?" Connie said next to me, as I wiped our baby's butt "she's rotting inside"

"Well, get used to it" I said looking over my shoulder "next time, you will change her diapers"

"Ok" he said not very sure about that.

He didn't have much time to prepare himself for that experience, after two hours, while I cooked dinner, Connie called me desperate.

"What do I do?" he said with the baby in his arms.

"Put her in the crib, remove the diapers, clean her butt with wet wipes, put talc and put new diapers" I said without taking his eyes off the pot "oh, and don't forget to throw away the old diaper in the trash"

"O-Ok" he said before leaving the kitchen as fast as he could

In less than five minutes, he called me again from Dara's room. I turned off the fire pot and headed there laughing

"What's up?" I said when I saw him with a clean diaper on his hand and his face smeared with talc, while our baby was still with her buttocks in the air.

I couldn't stop laughing, he, on the other hand, tried to convince me to help him put the diapers

"Look," I said, showing him how to put our daughter's diapers, using a doll, telling step by step what to do and how to do it

"I think I got it" he smiled, putting diapers Dara successfully "Ha" he said triumphantly taking the baby in her arms "I did it "

"Yeah you did" I said sarcastically putting my hand on his shoulder "great job, let's eat before the food gets cold"

"Let's go" he said smirking.

About nine o'clock, after dinner and nurse Dara, we took her to her room, leaving her in her crib quietly, trying not to make as much noise as we leave.

At ten, we were both exhausted after unpacking my clothes, we put on our pajamas and we lay in bed.

Connie had his hand on my waist. Our legs were intertwined, after so long with a belly between us, it was comforting to have him so close she could feel his breath.

When we both have closed our eyes to start sleeping, we were able to hear a disconsolately crying on the other side of the radio that was on Dara's room.

"Your turn," I said without opening my eyes

"I change her in the afternoon," he said approaching me "it's your turn"

"I think there's only one way to solve this," I said, opening my eyes to meet with his in the dark

"Okay," he said putting his fist in front of him "the old art of  _rock paper scissors_ "

I laughed as I brought my own hand outside the covers

"Rock Paper Scissors" we said together before making the figures with our hands "Ha, I won"

"Okay" said the loser before kissing my lips tenderly "be right back"

"Ok" I said smiling

I didn't close my eyes until I heard Connie's voice on the radio, soothing Dara's cry, which was now a single sob.

I had to pinch myself to realize that it wasn't a vile dream. That I really was lying in this bed, hoping to my husband came back of comfort our baby.

This was my life and it was getting better since I met this moron, idiot, tender, funny and loving dwarf.

_Yes, I think there are betters things in the world than food._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dara's name was given by my little monster, I think it's a singer or something, I dunno, but I liked the combination of name / last name.
> 
> Dylan and Devon in my mind are freckled, light hair and they both have Jean's eyes. Dylan is more like Jean in personality and Devon is more like Marco. *. *
> 
> So JeanxMarco's part will be update hopefully in like one week more (maybe more, finals will over and I'll be free!)
> 
> Please be patient. LOVE you...bye


	15. Cereal and Eggs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with a insemination, an Ironman figure and a fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO months after I finally finished Jean's POV, I regret the delay? MAYBE, cause believe me, it worth it

I can’t believe time goes so fast.

Just yesterday I confessed my feelings to Marco, just yesterday I gave him, or rather, he gave me our first kiss.

Just yesterday we decided to spend the rest of our lives together. Just yesterday we were able to raise the necessary money for the surrogate mother to give birth to our children.

It wasn’t easy at all. Many weren’t willing to give birth to a baby so ‘two queers’ take care of him.

If they hadn’t been women, I would punch them in the face in the middle of the interview.

It was a wait of months, in which Connie and Sasha tried to persuade us to adopt, but Marco and I realized that we wouldn’t be able to choose one boy or girl among all those in the orphanage.

Finally, we met Hannah, the "perfect" woman. She was funny and friendly as Marco, damn the girl even has freckles. And at the same time, she had a strong character, like me.

She told us that the reason why she wanted to do this was because she wanted to pay for treatment for her husband, Franz, who had run out of legs after returning from the war.

They both had discussed about this issue, as both wanted a child, but they didn’t have enough resources to maintain him, therefore, with the money, they also were going to end up paying their little house and finally start a family. We didn’t wait any longer to sign the papers to agree for the insemination’s day.

I remember that day, I was more nervous than ever, I think it was mostly because it was the first time that I didn’t, ehem, "enjoyed" without Marco, but I still had him in my mind when I had the glass cup in front of me, in a bath that wasn’t mine and a magazine, that I used to inspire myself.

When I left there, after I have washed my hands and closed the cup, Marco was waiting outside, with the donation in his hand.

"Did you have fun?" I asked as we walked to the showroom

He gave a small chuckle before answering

"It's more fun when I'm with you," he muttered, with a blush that highlighted his freckles

"Pervert" I said hitting him on the shoulder

_But we think the same._

The solutions were left at the table with our respective names, we said goodbye to Hannah and the doctor. We left there with anxiety in our stomachs.

Marco drove more nervous than usual, I would had offered to drive, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking and I could barely keep them in my lap.

Marco gave a small laugh after seeing my face when the light was red

"What" I said raising an eyebrow

"Nothing," he said putting his finger on my cheek "you were pouting"

"I was thinking," I said

"About what?" he said turning to look at the way

"About what were you thinking when you filled the cup" I said smirking

"Dork" he said after hitting my leg

"No, but seriously" I said really serious "I was thinking, what if it doesn’t work? Or if they put the wrong cup?, you know that happen Marco, what if Hannah decides to keep the baby? you know she and Franz ..."

I could have continued, but I was interrupted by Marco’s touch

He took my hand and put both, his and mine, on the shift lever and then he interlocked our fingers

"Jean," he said without taking his eyes off the road "everything will be fine, you know they wouldn’t be capable of something like that, everything will be great"

We didn’t let go all the way left to get home.

A month later, the doctor called us to inform us that the intervention was a success and now we should only worry about routine checks and, if there was any abnormality, he’ll call us immediately.

It was as if my heart went back into my chest, Marco is witness.

When I hung up the phone I lay in the bed, hard breathing and my eyes shut.

Marco put his hand on my chest and leaned in to kiss me tenderly, without saying a word, when we part away, he lay down beside me putting his head on my chest.

That was what I needed after a month trying to think of anything other than the possibility of insemination went wrong, just silence and my best friend, showing me his love.

The following months were "easier". I found very strange how big Hannah's stomach was, still only with four months, but, she and Marco, who had accompanied her to the last visit, said that it was very average.

Luckily, the next check, I'd go with Marco to accompany Hannah and I was going to be free of my doubts.

"Everything is perfect," said Erwin when he finished examining Hannah. He was one the obstetrician of the hospital where Connie was working "Do you have any questions?"

"Yes" I said slightly raising my hand, "Why is her stomach so big? She only has like four months and it seems that she’s ready to give birth"

Smith looked at me surprised and somewhat confused, then looked at Marco and Hannah, who was lying on the stretcher

"You didn’t inform him?" He said to Marco

"Inform me what" I said a little nervous, raising an eyebrow.

"Jean" Marco said, smiling affectionately putting his hand on mine "they’re twins"

"What!" I shout opening my eyes completely and literally I fell from my chair, hitting my head on the floor.

"Jean!" Marco said, helping me to stand on my feet again without even trying to avoid his laugh.

Hannah was sitting on the stretcher with her bare belly, smiling apologetically.

"Why you didn’t say anything?" I said looking at them both in the face

"Because you were going to react like that" said Marco pointing the chair supported on the floor "We decided to wait"

"We decided?" I said arching an eyebrow "you agreed with this, Hannah?"

She smiled and said

"Sorry Jean, but he convinced me to wait. He's a good lawyer after all"

I couldn’t help laughing at that.

_Somehow she reminds me of Sasha, she always knows how to make me laugh despite how serious I am._

"Okay," I said running my hand through my hair, "but don’t hide me anything else"

"Ah, yeah" Marco said giggling, exchanging glances with Hannah, who was trying to avoid my eyes.

"What?" I said frowning slightly

"He, he" Hannah smiled rubbing the back of her head, "we already know the sexes"

I brought my hand to my face, causing a slight 'clap' when it collided with my forehead.

I sat firmly in the chair and said

"Shoot"

"Jean" said Hannah playing his stomach "they’re boys, you’re going to have two little men"

_Boys, two little boys_

_Two children that I will play football, which Marco read books, which take you to the cinema to see idiots kids movies that end up watching Marco and because children were asleep in their seats and force us to tell every detail of movie way home._

_Come to us when someone bothers to school. Setting stop hitting me whenever the child's father when I say that my kids started._

_We asked about girls, I tell you of the strange obsession he had for Mikasa, we'll laugh about it like idiots and teach them how to use all its charm Kirschtein, just as I did with Dean, while Marco will tell them that appeal to feelings which is the best way to get a woman._

_Yes, it will be amazing._

_Jean..._

_Jean..._

"Jean," cried Marco was shaking my shoulder "wake up"

"Oh?" Said returning to the real world, we were still in the hospital, but we had left the Erwin query "What's wrong?"

"Well, nothing," he laughed, "except that you stayed like a zombie, when the doctor dismissed us, you came to sit down and stayed smiling to nowhere, what were you thinking?"

"N-Nothing," I said noticing the lack of significant "Where’s Hannah?"

"As you did not answer, I said I would see her tomorrow and she left with Franz" Marco said holding out his hand, "shall we go?"

"Yeah, right," I said taking his hand and getting up to go to the car.

_Right, tomorrow we will go to buy clothes for the...the babies._

"Have you told anyone else they’re going to be twins?" I said looking out the window way home

"No" Marco said, his eyes on the road "do you want to tell anyone?"

I thought for a moment and smiled

"No" said "let it be a surprise"

"Okay," he smiled when I put my hand on his when he had it on the shifter.

I must admit, I never thought I would be one of those people who buy their children’s clothes with quotes on them, or the type of person who buy pacifiers with plastic teeth, as if the baby was smiling.

No, I had never seen that side of me which, apparently, was here to stay.

After four months we have the knowledgeable that we would have twins, I received a call from Franz at four in the morning. They were heading to the hospital because Hannah had contractions every thirty minutes.

"Ok" I said on the phone trying to stay calm while Marco was half asleep next to me "I'll see you there Franz"

When I hung up, I noticed that my hands were shaking, my back felt a cold sweat and my stomach was spinning like a washing machine.

"What’s wrong?" Marco said, rubbing his eyes and sitting up

"The babies are being born," I said getting up from the bed as he looked at me with his eyes wide open "Marco, Hannah’s giving birth! Get up! "

Marco didn’t hesitate a second longer and got rid of the bedspread, both got dressed as fast as we could and went straight to the car to go to the hospital where the two little men would be born that would change our lives.

At the hospital, Hannah had an epidural and Franz was beside her, holding hands.

"Hey guys," Hannah said from the gurney, she had dark circles under his eyes, she certainly didn’t sleep at all

"Hi Hannah" I said approaching them "Hi Franz"

"Hi Jean," Franz said, smiling from his wheelchair "Hi Marco"

"Hi Franz" said Marco "How are you Hannah?"

"Fine" she said, smiling and touching her belly "you are ready to see your babies?"

"Of course we are" I laughed nervously

Dr. Erwin entered the room, smiling warmly

"Well Hannah" he said approaching the stretcher, "I see you are in good company"

She laughed weakly, noting fatigue.

"It's time to go to the room, Bertholdt will take you"

The sweaty Bertholdt made his appearance in the room, we shook hands as he smiled nervously, as always.

"Franz" Erwin said "you want to be into the room with your wife?"

"Of course I do, doctor" Franz said, straightening in his chair

"Doctor," said Hannah, leaving silence "Franz and I would like to be there with Marco and Jean as well"

Erwin gave her an apologetic smile

"Sorry," he said, "but I can only allow one more person in the room"

Hannah looked at us, there was no need to say anything.

"Jean will go," Marco said when put his hand on my shoulder

"What?" I whispered turning to him, no matter the others in the room

"You go," he said "You know you want to, besides, you know blood is not my thing"

"Coward" I said kissing him softly on the lips before returning to Erwin "I will go"

"Perfect" said the OB "you can go to change clothes while we Hannah took the room"

"Very well," Franz said before kiss Hannah "see ya’"

She looked at him fondly and said

"See you later, soldier"

Franz laughed and turned to me

"Come on Jean," he said putting his hand on my back, pushing me to come out

"Ok" I said smiling coast, I wasn’t even sure what I was doing

We were greeted by a nurse when we got to the delivery room. Both, me and Franz, were dressed in a blue hospital and saw Hannah, already sweating from the effort that the contractions made her do.

Franz held out her hand and kissed it, which did so tenderly as if he had kissed her on the lips.

"Jean" Hannah said, raising her left hand, the other side of the stretcher.

I went over there and took her hand, I didn’t mind the fact that it was sweaty, she was giving birth to my children, it's the least I could do.

"How are you feeling?" I asked smiling trough my mask

"Fine," she managed to say before Erwin entered the room with a robe similar to that we had Franz and I, except that it was a light green.

I didn’t pay much attention to what Erwin said to her or when Hannah began to bid for one of my children was born, all I could think about was who could appear, all while Hannah clutched my hand with all her strength, strangling it till leave my fingers purple.

"Sorry," I said when contractions allowed him to rest

"Don’t apologize," I said out of my thoughts

"Okay Hannah, this is the last for the first out" Erwin said that in front of us

"Okay," she said, sitting up on the stretcher

Her moans were quiet for the cry of my first son, Dylan

"Jean" Erwin said with the baby in her arms "would you cut the cord?"

I looked surprised, and then looked to Franz, who nodded.

Hannah let go my hand and the nurse gave me a pair of scissors with which I cut the strange flesh tube.

When I did, despite being something as simple as taking a snip, it soften my heart to have that child so close.

I went back to Hannah, she took my hand again and started to bid for my second son to see the world.

Devon's cry was heard fifteen minutes later, when the nurse was giving me the scissors I looked to Franz and said

"You do it. You will need practice after all"

He smiled through his mask and got the scissors, bringing his chair to my second child and cutting the cord that connected him with his wife.

Hold your child in your arms is incredible, although it is such a small creature, you feel it's one of the few things that keep you on the ground.

I left the room where Hannah had given birth to my children and ran to Marco, who was right in front, sitting on a bench, about to fall asleep.

I knelt before him and kissed him on the lips, as if he were saying that our children were fine, they were beautiful and they will be with us forever.

It's been five years since that day

_My little men are ready for their first day of school._

_I should get up or I’ll be late._

_I should also call Sasha, so she can bring Dara and then we could left them entrance of the school, humiliating them in front of their new companions kissing them on the cheek and wishing them well._

The alarm’s sound was not enough to make me get up, but the weight of one of my children above me, jumping like crazy.

"Dad!" Dylan said, stretching my eyelids to open his eyes "get up, we’ll be late"

I checked the time on the clock that was next to my bed.

7:25 a.m.

I laughed when he buried his fingers in my ribs for me rise, but rather, I hugged him and spoke in his neck while he was trying to escape

"Dylan, you really want to go?" I said trying to dissuade him  "We could stay here, watching TV and eating chips with Devon"

He raised his head and looked into my eyes, frowning, as if to prove that he is my son.

"Okay," I said releasing my hug "Where's Devon?"

"With Daddy in the kitchen" he said when under the bed, pulling her hand to me to do the same, "they told me to wake you up so we can have breakfast"

"If we stay here, we could have breakfast in bed," I said walking hand in hand with him into the kitchen

"Dad," said decided "you have to go to work"

I did my best to contain my smile at his seriousness

"Why?" I said

He stopped just before reaching the kitchen

"To boy us toys," he said with the innocence of a five year old child

"Right," I said when I walked in the door and saw my other two men sitting on the kitchen counter

"Good morning," I told Devon kissing his head as he devoured his bowl of cereal

"You finally woke up," Marco said back to me, frying some eggs

I sat Dylan in the chair next to his brother and I left them there, talking to each other before approaching to my husband.

"I tried to convince him to stay at home," I said to Marco hugging him from behind with my chin on his shoulder, stroking his stomach with my hands.

"I see you didn’t" he said kissing me on the cheek and off the stove with the pan in his hand

"No" I said bringing some plates to leave the eggs "my own son refused me"

He laughed turning to the inn with our children while I was serving coffee in our respective cups.

"You called Sash?" I said sitting next to him, in front of our two sons

"It's on its way" Marco said taking a bite of his toast "she said Dara woke up them at six and is now she’s asleep in the car"

"Aww," I said before thinking.

I choked on my own coffee to hear say

Marco looked at me surprised and I try not to laugh when he said

"Jean Kirschtein, the guy who hit three thugs when he was three years saying _Aww_ "

I kicked his leg under the table.

"Having children changes you in inexplicable ways Boldt" I said, taking a sip of coffee "by the way, boys," continued addressing my children "have yout backpacks ready?"

"Yes," they both said in unison, proud of themselves

"Ok, let’s see" I said getting up with Marco, going to the living room where the small backpacks, of a cartoon that I never remember the name, where.

Marco checks up Dylan’s backpack and I did it with Devon’s.

Marco and I couldn’t help but laugh when he pulled out two comics or when I took at least three action figures, which were mine, but a couple of years ago I learned to share them with my children.

"Okay," I said laughing "at least you have notebooks and pencils here” I said as I took the three actions figures and said “pick one”

Devon looked at me disappointed and chose his favorite, Ironman’s figure.

I remember he once said that Tony reminds him me, in attitude, of course.

"You’re going to let me pick one?" Dylan said when Marco left the comics on the coffee table

"You think I was born yesterday?" Marco said smiling "you were going to hide the comics with your book in class and read it instead of paying attention"

Dylan and Devon looked at him confused

"You did that?" Devon said incredulously

"No" I said scratching the back of his head, "I did ... but it's wrong and you can’t do it"

Before being questioned by two five year olds, I was saved by the horn of a car.

"That must be Sash" Marco said going to the door

The twins got out of the dining room chairs and ran barefoot to the door to go to get the little girl who was like his sister.

"Where do you think you're going?" I said lifting the ground, one on each arm

"Dad!" they shouted trying to break while we were going to their room

"No," I said, wincing when they hit my stomach with their little fists "when you have your shoes on, you would be able to play with Dara"

I left them at the entrance of their room and I stay there so they couldn’t leave the room.

"Dylan" a shrill voice was heard calling "Devon"

The twins opened their eyes and started pushing my legs with no results.

"The more you stay here," I said "you will have less time to play before school"

They both stopped and sprinted to get their shoes as fast as they could.

Dara had come to the room and she was affirmed to my leg while the boys struggled with the velcro.

"Hello baby" I said ducking, stroking my _niece’s_ hair "come on in, you play a while, while I talk to your parents"

"Thanks Uncle Jean" she said with a big smile on her face and greet the twins with a big hug, as if they hadn’t saw each other for years, except that they see each other yesterday.

"Hey Kirschtein" Connie said raising his hand to give me five.

"Hey Springer" said hitting my palm with it before Sasha kiss on the cheek "Hello Sash"

"Hi Jean" and said almost smiling mood.

It was there, talking to my best friends, where I realized that over the years had hit us all very hard.

I, for example, didn’t see the teenager who fought with the one who told him fag or with Eren, who was one of my closest friends despite that, no, now I saw a man who look like my father.

Marco, the love of my life, had several gray hairs around his forehead. I always mocked him, saying that he looked like Cruella de Vil.

Connie and Sasha already had fine lines on the face and forehead.

_We have spent so many things, so many memories and the best thing is that we still have time to live more with our children._

"What’s the matter with you?" Connie said as she shook his shoulder

"Ah," I said absently, "nothing, I thought over the years"

The three of them laughed

"Jean" Sasha said "we barely thirty, we still have time to enter to _that_ crisis"

"It's not a crisis," I said frowning "is just that, every time, we become more like our parents"

Connie raised an eyebrow, looked at Marco and Sasha and said

"Yes, of course, but I don’t think our parents have action figures on coffee tables"

"Or three consoles" Sasha said pointing to the TV cabinet

"Or a shelf full of horror movies," said Marco finally with a smile on her lips

"Or stupid friends" I said sarcastically, before giving a small laugh.

"I think the first day of school affects us all," said Connie smiling at nothing "I didn’t wake up at this time since I left college"

"Yeah” Marco said "as if it were yesterday when we had to run for being late to school"

"By the way," Sasha said, raising her head on alert "what time is it?"

We all saw the clock on the corner of the living room.

7:55 a.m.

"Shit," I stammered, getting up from the couch “first day and we’ll be late"

"Kids" Sasha said at the door of the twins’ room "we got to go, now"

"Five more minutes" I heard Dylan say begging

"In five minutes we should be in school," Sasha said, "so you have to hurry"

I saw Connie began to stretch their legs and arms.

"What are you doing?" I said mocking

"You think we’ll be able to make it without running and carrying the kids?" he said "believe me Jean, I do not want a tear"

Marco and I exchanged glances and then imitate Connie’s exercises, despite Sasha and children’s teasing.

"Let's make this more interesting," Connie said with her daughter on his back while we were doing the same with our little men

"The loser will have to pay the lunch" I said with Devon on my back,

"Done," Connie said

We left the house. Sasha had backpacks on her hands and took care of closing the door behind her

"Alright gentlemen," she said with a referee voice, causing the laughter of children "I hope a fair race, ready, set, Go!"

Connie, Marco and I started running while our children encouraged us and treated us like horses.

Connie and I knew that Marco would lose, his physical skills were never 'good' unlike us.

We arrived panting at the entrance to the school which was about four blocks from my house, luckily, the guard told us that the bell had just rung and the door was still open

"Okay," I said kneeling in front of my boys, who already had their backpacks on "I want my goodbye kiss"

"Noo" they both said in unison

"No choice" I said, taking Devon's face, giving him a big kiss on the cheek while Marco did the same with Dylan.

Connie and Sasha parted Dara and small, before they closed the door, the three children went to school to meet, which I guess was his new teacher.

"Ok" I said straightening "let’s go home"

"Yeah," said Connie stretching after giving multiple kisses to her daughter "some of us must work"

"Hey," I said starting to walk hand in hand with Marco, who only smiled and looked forward "is not my fault have the day off"

"Yeah right," Sasha said, taking the hand of her husband "because it was not your fault request vacation"

"I was a victim of circumstances," I said putting my hand on my chest "Marco’s free from work, the kids entered to school, I had not to get lost"

"Yeah, yeah" Connie said.

When we got home, we said goodbye to the guys and told them I would see them at lunch that Marco was going to pay.

Once inside the house, at 8:10 AM, Marco and I lounged on the couch and turned on the television, just to make noise, we had to get used again to silence our voices without the laughter of children in their room or on the floor of the living room.

"You think they’re fine?" Marco said with her head in my lap while I stroked his hair.

"Marco" I said looking into her eyes "they entered, literally, ten minutes ago, how they could not be fine? Plus, they are both together and they will see Dara at recess"

"You’re right," he said without being convinced

"You look like my mother," I said kissing him on the forehead, then the nose, then the lips, waiting for me, as they had for over fifteen years.

"Someone should worry" he said as we parted and he sat next to me, wrapping me with his arm

"You think I do not?" I inflating my chest as he looked at me incredulously "of course I worry, it’s just I have something called self control, Marco"

"Yeah right," he said with a small laugh, "because I was the one who went without sleep all night when they stayed at Connie’s home"

"That dwarf is capable of anything," I said crossing my arms, blushing a little "remember the he told a horror story to Dean and he slept in my bed a hole week"

Marco laughed.

It wasn’t the sharp laugh I had when we met, but a deep laugh, the more I fall in love every day

_When he puts his hand on his chest, is like he’s trying to stay on the floor to keep from flying with the other angels._

_Fuck_

_I've become a cheesy shit._

"And what do we do?" he said when he looked into his eyes

"I don’t know," I said putting a finger in my mouth, thinking "a little making out session like old times?"

"On the couch till one of us falls off?" he said raising an eyebrow, making me believe he would reject "deal"

I gave a small laugh before leaning to kiss my husband, my lover, my best friend.

Our lips were synchronized. His hands were on the back of my neck, mine were on his hips, pulling more and more, forcing him to put pressure on my crotch. The sound he do when we kissed was one of the few things that had not changed at all in Marco. Luckily, it was also one of my favorites

We stay like that until the phone rang Marco.

"Hmm, ignore it," I said asserting his face when he walked away to see who interrupted our kissing.

"Its school," he said kissing me one last time before answering, "Hello?"

I could tell that his smile was disappearing as the voice of the other side spoke and he listened.

"Okay," we said "we’ll be the immediately"

It was 8:35 a.m.

"What’s wrong?" I said when he hung up and ran his hand through his hair

"Dylan was fought with a partner" he said getting up resigned "we must go"

I got up quickly. I fixed his hair, disheveled by me, while he was buttoning my shirt.

"We will continue this later, promise," he said kissing my cheek before going to the door to get their keys

"Of course" I smiled, pulling him to take his hand before closing the door behind me and go to the school for our children.

When we got to school, missing only eight fifty in the morning, Dylan and the other kid were waiting at the reception, Dylan with his swollen cheek and the other one with a scarf on the nose, slightly tinged with blood .

Upon entering we were greeted by the teacher who was in charge of the class, a girl who looked just a few years older, with silver hair and glasses, next to her, a man of our age, dark hair and eyes like mine.

"Good morning," she said, shaking hands with Marco shook without much encouragement "I am Miss Riko, sorry to call you in these circumstances"

"Gustav" said the man, shaking my hand "really sorry"

"No problem," I said, "but what happened?"

"That's what I don’t understand," said the teacher, "I gave the children time to become known, Keiji and Dylan seemed to get along, but suddenly they began to fight"

"He said that Devon and I are weirdos," Dylan said arms crossed, frowning

"It's because you are," said Keiji, not angry like Dylan, but rather confused situation "you have two dads"

"Is that's bad, Keiji?" his father said

"No!" replied the child, "is that, everyone has a mom and a dad and they don’t have a mom, how they were born?"

The four adults who were there understood the situation immediately.

It had all been a misunderstanding.

"Dylan" I said "Keiji did not try to offend, remember that not everyone knows of artificial insemination"

"Artificial what?" Keiji said opening his eyes confused

"Some people" Gustav said, "when they can’t have babies, they ask to other moms have their own child"

"So Dylan" Marco said "You should ask what Keiji meant before punch him"

"And your Keiji" Gustav said "You shouldn’t punch him either"

"Both won’t have recess all day" Riko said "unless both apologize, then both can go out and play the next recess"

The two children looked even somewhat angry, but decided to get up and shake hands

"Sorry for punch you" Dylan said

"I'm sorry for what I said" Keiji said before look at us and say quietly, "I like your dad's hair"

"I know!" Dylan said more animated "my daddy says he had it like that since childhood"

"Wow" said Keiji smiling at my head, inspecting every part of my hair

The four laughed, I kinda, well, very blushed.

"Ok kids" Riko said "I think we can return to the classroom, thanks for coming"

"Thank you," said Marco opening the door for the teacher to take our children by the hand

"Well," Gustav said  "nice way to meet each other"

"Yeah" I said laughing "at least they get along now"

"Want a ride?" he offered with his car’s keys on his hand  

"No thanks," said Marco "we walk home"

"Okay," I said Gustav reaching out "I hope we meet again under better circumstances"

"I hope so" I said shaking his hand then Marco did the same and we started to walk out of the small school.

"Dylan is like you more and more" Marco said as he slowly walked home, watching the trees, the parks I'd like to take the kids, maybe accompanied by Gustav and Keiji.

"You saying it for the fight," I smiled without looking into his eyes "or because it is increasingly good looking?"

My question surprised and then he smiled slyly

"Very funny," he said sarcastically putting his arm on my shoulders "is a troublemaker like you, even Devon can’t control him"

"Ok, ok" I said looking into his eyes, I was so close I could feel his breath on my mouth, I loved that feeling "I’ll talk to him when I get home"

Before I could respond, my phone rang in my pocket when I had it in my hand I could see that it was my mother who called, presumably to ask how the children were.

"Uugh" I said throwing my head back

"Who is it?" Marco said looking at the screen, raising an eyebrow when he saw who was "your mother, what's the problem?"

"Surely she’ll ask for the kids" said "so I'll probably have to say about the fight and she probably will panic, as she always did with me"

"It's just a swollen cheek," he said, "I think you can handle it"

"Of course," said furrowing my brow slightly "because I it be me who will have eardrums bleeding for his mother’s screaming"

"Your eardrums will bleed if you do not answer that," he said at the phone in my hand

"Shit ... Hi mom" I said with a higher voice than usual

"Why you took so long?" she said in the tone of voice that used, and still does, get the creeps

"Sorry, we're walking home," I said throwing myself to the lions before it was sacrificed "just got back from school"

"School?" said surprised and concerned "Did something happen to children or Dara? They’re fine? Answer me!"

I couldn’t help but laugh a bit before answering, I think the questioner does comes from family

"They’re fine," I said, smiling as if she could see me, "Well, they’re now, Dylan had a little fight with a partner, but it was a misunderstanding, now apparently they can be called friends"

"Oh my God, my baby," she said before changing her tone to one really serious "Jean, that child is just like you"

"Can you believe that this is the second time I hear that TODAY?" I said really surprised

I listened as she gave a great sigh.

"Why were you calling?" I asked when I saw the smile of Marco

"Ah true, your father and I want to take the kids to the movies and get ice cream this afternoon, unless you have something planned"

"That would be great," I said looking at Marco, who nodded "I will call the school to let you pick up the kids, how's Dad anyway?"

"Better," she sighed, "you know he quit smoking, even though the diet doesn’t like him, he does the better he can"

My father had a kind of stroke a couple of months ago, nothing that couldn’t be controlled, but I must admit that I have the soul hanging by a thread when I got the call from my mother saying that my father was in the hospital.

"Well," I said looking at the floor while Marco opened the door of our house "Tell that old man if he do not like the diet he can starve anytime"

"Jean," said my mother reproaching

"Yeah, yeah" I said "send him greetings, I hope you have fun at the movies"

"Goodbye my love" said

"Bye Mom"

"I love you" she said before hanging

"Me too"

"You too what?"  she said pretending not understand

"I love you too, mom" I said a little embarrassed "Goodbye"

And she hung up

"What?" I said when I noticed that Marco smiled from the couch while I was right in front of the door

"Nothing," he said, smiling even more "thought ... you know ... I still see you as if you had sixteen"

I approached him, sitting besides him putting my legs over his lap.

"I wish I could say the same" I said smirking "but those gray hairs there don’t leave me"

He hit my leg with his fist before patting my knee.

"But you know," I said bringing my hand to her hair, ruffling it as my hand moved over his head "you are what might be called sexy"

"Might be called?" he repeated arching an eyebrow, trying to smile

"Yes" I said "you're one of those sexy adults that the teenagers girls fall in love"

"Only the teenagers girls?" He said smiling

"Sometimes you can be the most self-centered idiot that can exist" I said moving closer to him, my lips brushing his tentatively "you know?"

I didn’t let him answer, obviously, I leaned a little closer and our lips met along the way.

One hand rested on my side while the other was on my neck, playing with my hair recently lowered, he always said he liked the scratchy but soft feeling of short hair.

We stay like that for a while, waiting for the hour to eat to meet Connie and Sasha at the restaurant which was about a twenty-minute drive from home.

_If someone had told me ten or fifteen years ago that I would end like this, making out with my best friend on the couch of our house with our children on their first day of school. That I would end up being one of those cheesy guys who occasionally bring flowers to their partner without cause, or that I would become one of those parents playing with their children and are defeated, had told him to go to hell and escape before they broke all the teeth for thinking such silliness._

_Seriously, though hard to believe, I have matured enough to accept that I'm all that and more._

_Everything we've been through Marco and I to be where we are now, we would not have won if it were not for the support of Connie and Sasha, also for my parents, who learned to accept the fact that I love my best friend and they also love the fact that he just makes me happy._

_In this I have become, an idiot who doesn’t stop thinking about the people he loves even a single second of the day, but that makes me the luckiest idiot in the world._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments, the hits, the kudos, EVERYTHING, love you guys <3


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